ATM that allows a user to select from a display screen of available transactions by touch dragging the displayed icon that represents the desired transaction

ABSTRACT

An automated banking machine allows an authorized user to carry out transactions such as withdrawing cash, making a deposit, cashing a check, and transferring funds between accounts. The machine provides a transaction selection screen through a touch screen display. The transaction selection screen includes a plurality of visually different icons. Each icon represents a different transaction that is available to the current machine user. The user can select a particular transaction by dragging its representative icon with a contacting finger. Upon selection of the particular transaction, a display screen unique to that particular transaction is then provided through the touch screen display.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/799,551 filed Apr. 27, 2010, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 12/291,839 filed Nov. 13, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No.7,712,657, which claims benefit pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S.Provisional Applications 61/002,833; 61/002,834; 61/002,841; 61/002,854;61/002,860; 61/002,861; 61/002,863; 61/002,875; and 61/002,907, each ofwhich was filed Nov. 13, 2007. The disclosures of each of these priorapplications are herein incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to banking systems controlled by data bearingrecords that may be classified in U.S. Class 235, Subclass 379.

BACKGROUND ART

Automated banking machines may include a card reader that operates toread data from a bearer record such as a user card. Automated bankingmachines may operate to cause the data read from the card to be comparedwith other computer stored data related to the bearer or the bearer'sfinancial accounts. The machine operates in response to the comparisondetermining that the bearer record corresponds to an authorized user, tocarry out at least one transaction which may be operative to transfervalue to or from at least one account. A record of the transaction isalso often printed through operation of the automated banking machineand provided to the user. Automated banking machines may be used tocarry out transactions such as dispensing cash, the making of deposits,the transfer of funds between accounts, and account balance inquiries.The types of banking transactions that may be carried out are determinedby the capabilities of the particular banking machine and system, aswell as the programming of the institution operating the machine.

Other types of automated banking machines may be operated by merchantsto carry out commercial transactions. These transactions may include,for example, the acceptance of deposit bags, the receipt of checks orother financial instruments, the dispensing of rolled coin, or othertransactions required by merchants. Still other types of automatedbanking machines may be used by service providers in a transactionenvironment such as a bank to carry out financial transactions. Suchtransactions may include for example, the counting and storage ofcurrency notes or other financial instrument sheets, the dispensing ofnotes or other sheets, the imaging of checks or other financialinstruments, and other types of transactions. For purposes of thisdisclosure an automated banking machine or an automated taller machine(ATM) shall be deemed to include any machine that may be used to carryout transactions involving automated transfers of value.

When banks are open for business customers enter the bank. The bankusually has no advance notice when a banking customer is going to enterthe bank or how many customers will enter the bank for any given timeperiod. At the time a banking customer enters a bank the bank has no wayof knowing which type of transaction the banking customer is going torequest, or if the banking customer will be requesting multipletransactions. If all customers currently in a bank approach the telleror any other human or machine resource of the bank at the same time,that banking resource may become overburdened and unable to process allthe banking customer requests in a timely matter. Long wait times mayoccur and the banking customers at the end of a line for a particularbanking service may have a negative banking experience.

When a banking customer enters a bank, he may not know where to proceedto conduct a particular banking transaction. The banking customer mayneed to resort to looking for signs pointing him to the area of the bankto conduct the particular transaction he desires to conduct.Alternatively, the banking customer may need to resort to looking for amap of the banking branch or facility so he may determine from a mapwhere to conduct his transaction.

When a banking customer enters a bank branch, he often will want toconduct multiple transactions. The banking customer may have no way ofknowing which bank resources are busy and which are available. Thebanking customer may just have to guess or just pick the transaction toconduct first by random thought process. If the banking customer guessesin a way that directs him to a resource for which there is a long wait,he will spend more time to complete his transactions.

Often when the banking customer needs to personally speak with a personwho has more than just clerical authority, such as a banking officer,that officer may be busy. The banking customer may need to wait in awaiting area. The banking customer may leave the waiting area to talkwith a friend, use the restroom, or simply get tired and leave the bank.When the busy banking officer becomes free, the officer may go to thewaiting area to greet the banking customer waiting to see them. Becausethe bank officer often does not know what the waiting banking customerlooks like, the bank officer needs to resort to calling the customer'sname near the waiting area. The banking officer often may not have anyway of knowing if the banking customer has left the waiting area or thebank.

For many banking transactions such as opening a new account, bankingcustomers need to provide the bank information about themselves.Typically, a banking officer may call the banking customer to thebanking officer's desk and then begin to ask the banking customer a lotof questions. For example, the bank officer may ask the banking customerfor the customer's name, address, phone numbers, place of employment,who in the family may access the account, and then a series of questionsabout what type of account the customer is interested in opening.Sometimes as the banking customer provides the information to a bankingofficer, mistakes are made when the banking officer enters the bankingcustomer information into the banking computer systems. The officer mayhit the wrong keyboard key, and because the banking customer may not belooking at the computer screen the officer is looking at, the error goesundetected. Other banking customers may speak with an accent that ishard for the banking officer to understand, so errors may be enteredinto the banking computer system because of a misunderstanding betweenthe banking customer and banking officer.

Bank tellers and officers often need to follow a precise sequence ofevents to properly process a banking customer banking request. There maybe a certain sequence of steps to authenticating checks and a differentsequence to issue a certificate of deposit. Because banking employeesneed to follow many different sequences of steps for many differenttypes of banking transactions, sometimes steps are omitted or performedincorrectly. Often several different forms are filled out for each of avariety of banking transactions. Because banking employees need to knowwhich of several forms correspond with each transaction, mistakes aremade by forgetting to fill out a form, filling out the wrong form ormaking a mistake while filling out a form.

Banking machines and systems may benefit from improvements.

OBJECTS OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide an automatedbanking apparatus that operates responsive to data read from databearing records.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide an apparatus thatutilizes data read from data bearing records to facilitate the carryingout of financial transactions.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus thatimproves customer banking transactions.

It is a further object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatusthat improves the banking customer banking experience.

It is a further object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatusand methods to more efficiently use bank personnel and resources.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to efficiently collect banking customer information.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to guide a banking customer to the location of a particularbanking transaction resource.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to reduce the errors entered into a banking computer systemwhile collecting customer information.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to reduce the overall time a banking customer spends in a bankconducting banking transactions.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods for a banking employee to recognize and personally greet abanking customer.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to track a banking customer within a bank location.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to improve how a banking customer accesses data with a computer.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to allow more than one person to access and modify the samebanking data through the same device at the same time.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to begin a banking transaction before a banking customer arrivesat a bank transaction location.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to recognize high value banking customers and tailor a responseto process their banking transactions.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods for verifying if a certain customer is at a certain place at abanking location.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to reserve banking resources for a banking customer and toindicate those resources are reserved.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to secure different banking areas according to different groupsof people or resources.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to route a banking customer to a bank or within a bank.

It is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide apparatus andmethods to route a banking customer from one banking transaction to thenext banking transaction.

Further objects of exemplary embodiments will be made apparent in thefollowing Description of Exemplary Embodiments.

The foregoing objects are accomplished in exemplary embodiments by asystem which includes one or more welcome terminals near the customerentrance of a bank facility. In the exemplary embodiment the welcometerminal may be operatively connected to one or more branch bankcomputers. A welcome terminal may alternatively be referred to herein asa greeting terminal. For purposes of this disclosure, reference to asingle computer shall include multiple computers and vice versa. Thebank branch computer may be operative to monitor banking resources ofthe branch bank. For purposes of this disclosure, a “resource” of thebank facility refers to people or things that a banking customer uses orinteracts with in order to carry out a transaction or a portion of atransaction. Thus resources may include, for example, an automatedteller machine (ATM), an electronic kiosk, or other electronic terminalwhich may receive inputs from or provide outputs to the customer.Resources also include bank tellers who perform transactions for users,as well as teller stations at which a user may communicate with a telleror perform other actions. Resources may also include banking officers ofthe type previously discussed, who perform tasks other than the clericalor routine banking tasks that are performed by tellers for customers whostand in a line or otherwise have the service perform at a tellerstation. As previously discussed, banking officers may generallyparticipate in more involved types of transactions or businessactivities with the customer than are conveniently conducted in a tellerline. Of course, these types of banking resources are exemplary ofresources that may be utilized within a banking facility.

In an exemplary arrangement, a banking customer enters the branch bank.The welcome terminal may be operative to provide outputs that prompt thebanking customer to provide inputs to the terminal that indicate whatbanking transactions the banking customer would like to perform. In theexemplary embodiment the terminal operates to cause the availability ofthe banking resources corresponding to the requested customertransaction or transactions to be determined. This may be done throughoperation of the terminal and the at least one branch bank computer. Inresponse to the determination, the terminal may direct the bankingcustomer to the location of a resource needed to conduct a bankingtransaction that the computer has determined to be the most likely to beavailable to conduct the customer's desired transaction at the earliesttime.

In some exemplary embodiments when the banking customer indicates to thewelcome terminal the desire to perform a task that will involve theprovision of customer data, the user terminal may operate responsive tothe at least one branch bank computer to begin prompting the user toinput to the terminal at least some of the data needed. The terminaloperates in response to its programming to prompt the user to provideinputs to input devices on the terminal that correspond to at least someof the data needed for purposes of conducting the transaction. Aftersuch data has been input, the terminal thereafter operates to provideoutputs to the user to direct the user to the resource in the bankingfacility that can complete the transaction desired by the user. When thebanking customer eventually reaches the resource to execute the bankingtransaction needing the data entered at the welcome terminal, the bankcomputer system may operate to have already transferred that data fromthe welcome terminal to the resource at the transaction location.

In some exemplary embodiments while the banking customer may beoperating the welcome terminal, a picture or image may be captured ofthe banking customer. This may be done using equipment that described inU.S. Pat. No. 6,583,813, the disclosure of which is herein incorporatedby reference. The apparatus used to capture the image may thereaftercause the image to be output on a terminal or similar device to a bankemployee who is responsible for carrying out a transaction requested bythe customer. A banking employee may use the image to later find thebanking customer. When the banking employee recognizes the bankingcustomer from the image, the banking employee may personally greet thebanking customer by name. In some exemplary embodiments the bankingcustomer will be prompted through outputs from the welcome terminal onhow to proceed from the welcome terminal to a waiting area or to a firsttransaction area associated with a banking resource. In some exemplaryembodiments a computer in operative connection with the welcome terminalmay compare the transactions the banking customer has indicated thecustomer wants to perform with the availability of the resources toperform those transactions. The transaction that could be performed theearliest may be determined through operation of the computer. Thebanking customer may then be prompted by outputs through an outputdevice or by a banking resource how to proceed from the firsttransaction area to the next transaction area.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking customer may be tracked whilemoving about the banking facility. This may be done to allow the bankingcustomer to be more readily found by a banking employee. In someexemplary embodiments the banking customer may be tracked with camerasand image recognition software. This may be done using a system likethat described in the incorporated disclosures. This could be donethrough software that recognizes facial images. In other exemplaryembodiments the banking customer may be tracked with cameras near floorlevel using software that can recognize a customer's shoe or shoes amongdifferent shoe patterns. In still other embodiments the banking customermay be tracked by an imaging system that operates to recognize featuresunique to the customer such as clothing or movement or style of walkingthat may be unique to that customer. In yet some other exemplaryembodiments the banking customer may be tracked by sensors in the floorthat detect the weight shifting caused by the user's walking patternover an array of weight or other sensors as the banking customer walksacross the banking surface. In yet some other exemplary embodiments, thebanking customer may be tracked by movement of the customer's shoeimages with low level cameras. In some exemplary embodiments the bankingcustomer may be tracked by the way the banking customer walks or by adistinctive stride of the banking customer. In other exemplaryembodiments, the banking customer may be tracked through the operationof multiple types of sensors of the type previously described. As can beappreciated, imaging systems, a plurality of sensors such as thoseoperative to sense weight, location or other features, may be inoperative connection with one or more computers. The computers operateresponsive to the sensed information to determine the movement of andthe then current position of the particular banking customer. Of coursethese approaches are exemplary.

In some exemplary embodiments after the banking customer indicates adesired transaction through one or more inputs at the welcome device,and the banking computer system determines the first transaction, areservation indication may be placed at the first transaction resourceor location. In some exemplary embodiments a reservation indication maybe given to an output device at the designated transaction resource orlocation, which output device is in operative connection with the atleast one computer. The output device may operate to display the name orother identifying data associated with the banking customer, to advisethe customer of the location of the resources where the customer is toconduct the transaction.

An exemplary embodiment may include a method of processing bankingcustomer transactions that includes the steps of: (a) prompting abanking customer through outputs at a welcome terminal located near thebank entrance, to provide inputs to the terminal corresponding to thetypes of transactions the banking customer may want to perform; (b)capturing an image of the banking customer responsive to operation ofthe at least one computer while the banking customer may be at thewelcome terminal; (c) determining with at least one computer responsiveto the input received in step (a), which banking transaction will beprocessed first and where to route the banking customer; (d) directingthrough operation of the terminal, the banking customer to a firstlocation; (e) outputting the image of the banking customer captured in(b) through an output device to a bank employee; (f) tracking thebanking customer in at least one location through operation of at leastone computer; and (g) operating the at least one computer to cause theat least one location of the banking customer on a handheld deviceoperated by the bank employee whereby the banking employee can find thebanking customer.

In another exemplary embodiment a method of processing banking customertransactions includes the steps of: (a) prompting a banking customer ata welcome terminal located near the bank entrance to input the types oftransactions the banking customer may want to perform; (b) receiving theinput from the banking customer corresponding to the desiredtransactions; (c) capturing an image of the banking customer while thebanking customer may be at the welcome terminal; (d) processing theinput received in step (a) to determine which banking transaction willbe processed first and where to route the banking customer; (e) routingthe banking customer to a first location; (f) transmitting the dataentered by the banking customer to the banking resources that willhandle the first banking transaction, wherein the first bankingtransaction may begin before the banking customer arrives at the firsttransaction location; (g) transmitting the image of the banking customerto a bank employee; (h) processing the first transaction; (i)determining which banking transaction may be processed second; (j)transmitting the data entered by the banking customer to the bankingresource that will handle the banking transaction that was determined tobe processed second, wherein the banking transaction to be processedsecond may begin before the banking customer arrives at the secondtransaction location; and (j) routing the banking customer to a secondlocation corresponding to where the banking resource for the secondtransaction is located. In some exemplary embodiments when the bankingcustomer is routed to the second location, the banking customer may bepresented a map or floor plan of the bank and an indication of how toproceed from the first location to the second location. In the exemplaryembodiment a position at the second location may be reserved for thebanking customer and may be marked with a display output or other outputindicating that the position is reserved for the banking customer andmay include the name of the banking customer.

In some exemplary embodiments a banking computer system including atleast one computer may be used to process banking customer transactions.A computer may be in operative connection with at least one bankingdatabase which is alternatively referred to herein as a data store. Thedatabase may include data corresponding to banking customer data andbanking transactions. A computer may be operatively connected to atleast one transaction terminal or automated banking machine. In someexemplary embodiments a computer may be operative to communicate with amobile banking customer device such as a cell phone operated by a userremotely located from the bank. A computer may be operative to receiverequests for banking transactions from a customer through operation ofthe mobile device. A computer may be operative to determine the closestbank that has the resources to process all the selected transactions. Acomputer may be operative to determine a first location for processingthe first transaction. In some exemplary embodiments a computer may beoperative to reply and cause the banking customer mobile device toprompt the banking customer to input into the banking customer mobiledevice the information needed for the requested banking transactions. Acomputer may be in operative connection with the at least onetransaction terminal at the first location to cause a copy ofinformation input through the banking customer mobile device to betransferred to the at least one transaction terminal or automatedbanking machine at the first location. The processing of the firsttransaction may begin at the first location before the banking customerarrives at the first location.

In some exemplary embodiments the first location may be the location ofthe nearest branch bank to the banking customer that has the resourcesto handle each of the requested transactions. In some embodiments thenearest branch bank may include a mobile branch bank which may beselectively located by the bank at different locations during differentdays or other time periods. In some exemplary embodiments a computer maybe operative to cause the mobile device of the banking customer todisplay a map of how to proceed to the first location. In some exemplaryembodiments a computer may be operative to retrieve data correspondingto a saved image and/or biometric data for the banking customer from abanking database, and transfer the image and/or data to the resource atthe first location at the bank where the first transaction will beperformed. In some exemplary embodiments a computer may be operative toassist in processing the first transaction at the first location.

In some exemplary embodiments a computer may be operable to determineone or more subsequent transactions which correspond to uncompletedtransactions the banking customer requested through a mobile device orother input device. A computer may be operative to determine a secondresource and associated location for processing the second transaction.A computer may be operative to communicate with and cause the mobilebanking customer device to prompt the banking customer as to how toproceed to the second location. In some exemplary embodiments areservation for the banking customer at the second location may becreated in a data store through operation of the computer before thefirst banking transaction may be completed by the first resource at thefirst location. The processing of the second transaction may be startedby the at least one computer before the first transaction may becompeted or the banking customer arrives at the second location.

In some exemplary embodiments a computer may be operable to track thebanking customer within and/or in proximity to the bank. In someexemplary embodiments the cameras inside the bank may be operativelyconnected to at least one computer. The at least one computer may beoperable to track the banking customer within the bank using datacorresponding to images captured from the cameras and image trackingsoftware running on a computer.

In some exemplary embodiments the computer may be operably connected toa transaction terminal such as an automated banking machine at the firstlocation. The transaction terminal may be operable to prompt a bankingemployee with outputs through a display that includes a summary of whatneeds to be accomplished to process the transaction. The computer mayalso be operably connected to the transaction terminal to present a listof steps to the banking employee in a fixed order.

In some exemplary embodiments the name of the banking customer may bedisplayed through an output device at the first location in response tooperation of the computer. In some exemplary embodiments the firstlocation may be resource which comprises a drive-through lane and acomputer may be operative to reserve a drive-through lane for thebanking customer. In some exemplary embodiments a computer may beoperable to display the name or other identifier of the banking customeron a suitable output device or electronic display or sign to reserve thedrive-through lane for the banking customer.

In some exemplary embodiments a computer may be operable to recognizewhen the banking customer approaches the bank. In some exemplaryembodiments a computer may be operable to recognize the banking customerwhen the banking customer approaches the bank using data correspondingto images captured from the cameras and image analysis software such asfacial recognition software running on a computer.

In some exemplary embodiments a computer may be operable to generate aone-time password or other identifying sequence of characters and sendit to the banking customer mobile device. A computer may be in operableconnection with a banking resource, and may be operable to verify thatthe banking customer may be located at the at least one banking resourcewhen the banking customer enters the sequence through an input device atthe at least one banking resource. In some exemplary embodiments thesequence may consist of digits and the banking resource may operate todispense currency.

An exemplary embodiment may include a method of processing bankingcustomer transactions that includes the steps of: (a) receiving at leastone input from a banking customer mobile device, before the bankingcustomer arrives at a bank, corresponding to the types of transactionsthe banking customer would like to perform; (b) accepting data enteredby the banking customer on a mobile device that corresponds to thebanking transactions requested; (c) processing the at least one input todetermine which banking transaction will be processed first and where toroute the banking customer; (d) transmitting the data entered by thebanking customer to the banking resource that will handle the bankingtransaction that was determined by the computer to be the bankingtransaction to be processed first, wherein the banking transaction to beprocessed first may begin before the banking customer arrives at thefirst transaction location; (e) routing the banking customer to a firstlocation as the banking customer arrives at the bank; (f) detecting whenthe banking customer arrives at the bank transaction location; (g)generating and presenting to the banking customer a one-time message tobe used to verify the banking customer may be at the first location; (h)verifying that the banking customer may be at the first location; (i)processing the first transaction.

Some exemplary embodiments that operate to process customer bankingtransactions may use a banking computer system with at least onecomputer. A computer may be in operative connection with at least onebanking database. The at least one banking database includes data whichcorresponds to banking customer data and banking transactions. A surfacecomputer may be in operative connection with a banking computer and abanking database. In some exemplary embodiments the display surfacecomputer itself may comprise an interface surface that allows multipleusers to interact with the computer by providing inputs and outputs byviewing and through touching the surface. The surface computer may beadapted to allow a banking customer to selectively cause the display ofindicia corresponding to banking services on the display surface, andmay be operative to allow a banking customer to organize and compare theaccessed banking services. In some exemplary embodiments the surfacecomputer may be operative to allow the banking customer to view indiciacorresponding to different features of the displayed banking services.In some exemplary embodiments the surface computer includes an interfaceadapted to allow a banking customer to select one of the bankingservices to be performed by touching the display surface.

In some exemplary embodiments the surface computer may have itsinput/output display surface comprised of a table top, or the surfacecomputer may have its user interface on or in a wall. In someembodiments the display surface may include a single panel, while inother embodiments the display surface comprises multiple panels in agenerally planar arrangement. In some exemplary embodiments the surfacecomputer is in operative connection with an image capture device orother sensing device that senses inputs that are operative to cause thecomputer to recognize the banking customer and to automatically accessdata corresponding to banking services stored in the banking databasethat the recognized banking customer commonly performs. In someexemplary embodiments the banking customer may be recognized byidentifying data corresponding to an image of the banking customer. Insome exemplary embodiments the banking customer image may be recognizedby a computer running facial or other image recognition software, andthe banking customer image may be captured using a camera. The cameramay be in connection with the surface computer. In other exemplaryembodiments the banking customer may be recognized by one or moresensors that operate to capture data usable to recognize a mobile deviceor other item placed on the input/output surface computer belongs to oris uniquely associated with the particular banking customer. The mobiledevice may be a cell phone, laptop computer, or a personal digitalassistant, for example.

In some exemplary embodiments the surface computer may includeinterfaces adapted to allow the banking customer to transfer data fromthe mobile device to the surface computer. The surface computer mayoperate or enable the banking customer to transfer data from the surfacecomputer to the mobile data device. Such suitable interfaces for datatransfer may include for example, radio frequency (RF) interfaces,infrared (IR) interfaces, photo sensor type interfaces, or othersuitable interfaces that are operative to enable data to be passedbetween the surface computer and the mobile device. The surface computermay provide a visual interface that allows a banking customer to touchan icon corresponding to the data or instructions on the display surfacecomputer and drag the icon to a zone around or adjacent the mobiledevice while the mobile device may be in contact with or adjacent to thedisplay surface of the surface computer. In some exemplary embodimentsthe surface computer may be adapted to allow a banking customer toaccess existing banking account information. The surface computer may beadapted to display account information through outputs on the displaysurface of the computer.

In some exemplary embodiments a surface computer may be adapted to allowa banking customer to display banking account information stored on thebanking database on the display surface. In some exemplary embodimentswhen the banking customer may be opening a new banking account, thesurface computer may be operative to allow a banking customer and abanking employee to view and enter data on a common area of the displaysurface of the surface computer. In some exemplary embodiments thesurface computer may be programmed to accept simultaneous inputs fromboth a bank employee and a customer through the display surface. Inother exemplary embodiments multiple customers may conduct concurrenttransactions at disposed areas of the display surface.

An exemplary embodiment may include a method of processing bankingcustomer transactions with a surface computer that includes the stepsof: (a) providing an interface allowing a banking customer to accessbanking services stored in a banking database through a surfacecomputer; (b) displaying the accessed banking services through thesurface computer; (c) providing an interface operative to allow abanking customer to organize and compare the accessed banking servicesthrough operation of the surface computer and to compare differentfeatures of the displayed banking services; (d) providing an interfaceoperative to allow a banking customer to select one of the bankingservices through the surface computer to be performed; (e) recognizing aparticular banking customer; (f) accessing banking services stored inthe banking database through a surface computer that the recognizedcustomer commonly performs; (g) providing an interface to allow thebanking customer to transfer data from the mobile data device to thesurface computer; and (h) providing an interface to allow the bankingcustomer to transfer data from the surface computer to the mobile datadevice.

In some exemplary embodiments high value customers are identified whenthey arrive at the bank. When a high value customer may be detectedspecial banking facilities are reserved for them and in some exemplaryembodiments the facilities reserved are for the types of transactionscommonly reserved by the high value banking customer. In some exemplaryembodiments the high value customer may be detected by a data bearingrecord which comprises a personal identification device given to theparticular banking customer by the bank. In some exemplary embodimentsthe personal identification device may be a radio frequencyidentification (RFID) output device that outputs identifying radiosignals that may be detected when the banking customer approaches orenters the bank.

In some exemplary embodiments a banking computer system may be used tocreate personal outputs or responses when communicating with a bankingcustomer during a banking transaction. In some exemplary embodiments abanking computer system is in operative connection with at least onebanking database. The database may include data corresponding to bankingcustomer data and different types of banking accounts. In some exemplaryembodiments at least one banking transaction terminal such as anautomated banking machine is inside a bank, and a banking customer wouldapproach the terminal to conduct a banking transaction. The bankingtransaction terminal contains a projector suitable for projecting animage that would be perceivable by the banking customer. A camera may beused that may be adapted to capture images of the banking customerapproaching or at the at least one banking transaction terminal. Asoftware application running on a computer may be operative to use theimages captured by a camera to identify the banking customer when thebanking customer approaches the banking transaction terminal. In someexemplary embodiments a computer may be capable of retrieving thepersonal data about the banking customer from a database of personalinformation in operative connection with the computer system. Thecomputer may retrieve the personal data of the banking customer togenerate one or more personalized messages to the banking customer. Acomputer may be adapted to generate messages to a banking customer byusing previous banking customer responses.

In some exemplary embodiments the projected image may be the image of aperson. The projected image may be of a person of the opposite sex ofthe banking customer. Alternatively, the projected image may be of aperson with similar age, appearance, weight, interests and social statusto the banking customer. The projected image may be an image projectedon a screen.

In some exemplary embodiments the projected image may comprise athree-dimensional hologram.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking customer responses are storedin the banking database for subsequent use.

In some exemplary embodiments one or more computers may be adapted toanalyze the images, such as facial expressions, of the banking customerto determine the mood of the banking customer, so the response to thebanking customer may be tailored to the mood of the banking customer.The computer may be adapted to analyze images of the banking customer torecognize a secondary characteristic such as: an item of clothing thebanking customer is wearing, a new watch the banking customer has on, anew hair style, weight loss, new jewelry and another person accompanyingthe banking customer to the bank. When a secondary characteristic may bedetected, the generated messages to the banking customer may makereference to or be resolved based on the secondary characteristic.

In some exemplary embodiments one or more computers may be adapted to bein operative connection with a computer database which includes datacorresponding to current weather data, recent news stories, and sportingevent results. The computer may be operative responsive to selecteditems of this data to generate tailored messages to the bankingcustomer. In some exemplary embodiments the database recordscorresponding to the personal information of the banking customer may beupdated with each response received from the banking customer inresponse to output messages.

In some exemplary embodiments one or more computers may be operative toanalyze images and movements or actions of the banking customer andresolve patterns that indicate when the banking customer may be in ahurry. When the banking customer is in a hurry the responses generatedby the at least one computer may be quicker and shorter. In someexemplary embodiments the computer may be adapted to analyze the imagesof the banking customer and to recognize when the banking customer maybe in need of medical care, and wherein the generated response may betailored to the medical care needs.

In another exemplary embodiment a method for providing a personalresponse to a banking customer includes the steps of: (a) recognizing apersonal identity of a banking customer when the customer arrives at abank, through operation of at least one computer; (b) presenting animage to the banking customer responsive to operation of the at leastone computer; (c) retrieving personal data about the banking customerfrom a database in operative connection with the at least one computer;(d) giving the banking customer a personal welcome greeting through atleast one output device responsive to operation of the at least onecomputer; (e) responding to a response from the banking customer throughoperation of the at least one computer, responsive to the bankingcustomer response and the retrieved personal data to determine atailored personal response to the banking customer; (f) storing datacorresponding to the responses of the banking customer in the bankingdatabase for subsequent use; (g) analyzing images of the bankingcustomer through operation of the at least one computer to determine thebanking customer's mood so a response to the banking customer may betailored to the mood of the banking customer; (h) analyzing images ofthe banking customer through operation of the at least one computer torecognize a secondary characteristic and when a secondary characteristicis detected, the response to the banking customer may be tailored to thesecondary characteristic; (h) using through operation of the at leastone computer current weather data, recent news stories, and sportingevent results to tailor a message to the banking customer; (i) updatingthe personal database of the banking customer through operation of theat least one computer with a response from the banking customer; (j)analyzing images of the banking customer through operation of the atleast one computer and determining that the banking customer is in ahurry, and when the banking customer is determined to be in a hurry,generating responses that are at least one of quicker and shorter; and(k) analyzing images of the banking customer through operation of atleast one computer and determining when the banking customer is in needof medical care and tailoring the response to the medical care needs.

In some exemplary embodiments bank security may be improved throughoperation of a banking computer system with at least one computer. Thecomputer may be in operative connection with a reader device, aplurality of banking resources, and at least one banking database. Thebanking database may include data corresponding to banking customer dataand different types of banking accounts. A detection device may be usedthat is operative to detect a person entering the banking office. Insome exemplary embodiments the banking computer system may assign asecurity level to the person detected entering the bank. A highersecurity level has access to more or different banking facilities oroperations than a lower security level. In some exemplary embodimentsthe banking computer system may be operative to activate differentbanking resources corresponding to the level of security assigned to theperson.

In some exemplary embodiments the detection device may provide data thatcauses a computer to operate to identify the person entering the bankoffice. The detection device and computer may be operative to recognizethe person entering a bank responsive to face recognition softwareoperating in at least one computer using images captured by cameras. Thebanking computer system may also be operative responsive to image orother data to track the person as he roams within the bank.

In some exemplary embodiments the at least one computer in operativeconnection with a detection device may identify the person by a radiosignal emitted by a mobile device associated with the person. In someother exemplary embodiments the person may be recognized throughoperation of at least one computer responsive to sensing indica on acard assigned to the person by the bank.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking resources operated by bankingcustomers may include for example, one or more of computer terminals,information kiosks, computer databases, account information, safetydeposit boxes, drawers, office spaces, storage areas, automatic bankingmachines, teller areas, safety deposit box areas, and vault areas. Insome exemplary embodiments the security levels and access rightscorrespond to whether the person is designated as a high value customer,standard customer, new customer, management banking employee,supervisory bank employee, teller or other bank employee. In someexemplary embodiments only banking resources adjacent to the person areactivated according to the security level of the person. In someexemplary embodiments only a banking resource immediately adjacent aperson is activated if the person has the proper security level tooperate that resource.

In some exemplary embodiments a detection device may be operative todetect a person entering the banking office. The person entering thebank has been assigned to a designated one of a plurality of groups ofpeople, where each group may be assigned a different security orprivileges level. A higher security level has access to more ordifferent banking facilities or functions than a lower security level.In some exemplary embodiments the bank facility may be segmented into aplurality of security zones. A banking computer system may be operativeto activate different banking resources within a security zonecorresponding to the level of security or privilege of the people withinthat zone.

In some exemplary embodiments the security zones correspond to one ormore of bank employee office spaces, teller areas, safety deposit boxareas, automated banking machines, vaults, and/or public areas. In someexemplary embodiments the groups of people and access rights maycorrespond to high value customers, standard customers, new customers,management banking employees, supervisory bank employees, tellers andother bank employees. The level of security of high value customers andaccess rights may be greater than the security level for regularcustomers; the security level for regular customers and access rightsmay be higher than the security level for new customers; the securitylevel and access rights for managers may be higher than the securitylevel for supervisory bank employees; the security level and accessrights for supervisory bank employees may be higher than the securitylevel for tellers; and the level of security and access rights fortellers may be higher than the security level for other bank employees.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking resources and capabilitiesaccessed may be one or more of computer terminals, kiosks, customerstations, computer databases, account information, safety deposit boxes,drawers, office spaces, storage areas, automatic banking machines,teller areas, safety deposit box areas, and vault areas. The computerdatabases include a plurality of sub-databases, where each sub-databaseis assigned to a security level.

In some exemplary embodiments the bank employee with a higher securitylevel or greater access rights may override a lower security levelperson with regard to using a banking resource that the employee needsto access if a person with a lower corresponding security level may bein the same security zone.

In another exemplary embodiment a method of providing improved securityin a bank includes the steps of (a) identifying through operation of atleast one computer a person entering the banking office; (b) assigning asecurity level to the person detected through operation of the at leastone computer; (c) activating different banking resources, throughoperation of the at least one computer, corresponding to the level ofsecurity assigned to the person detected; and (d) recognizing the persondetected in step (b) through operation of the at least one computer.

In another exemplary embodiment a method of providing security in a bankincludes the steps of (a) operating a computer to divide the bankfacility into a plurality of security zones; (b) assigning people whoaccess the bank facility into a plurality of security zones throughoperation of the computer; and (c) activating different bankingresources within a security zone responsive to operation of thecomputer, to the levels of security of the people within that zone.

Of course it should be understood that the features and methodsdescribed are exemplary and in other embodiments other approaches may beused.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example schematic representation of a computer system usedin a banking operation.

FIG. 2 is an example floor plan of the interior of a banking facility.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams of a method associated withprocessing banking customer transactions using a welcome terminal.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a method associated with processingbanking customer transaction requests made from a mobile device.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a method associated with processingbanking transactions using a surface computer.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a method associated with processingbanking transactions in a manner personal to the customer.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a method associated with improvedbanking security using security levels.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a method associated with improvedbanking security using security zones.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of exemplary software used to improvebanking customer transactions.

FIG. 11 is a schematic logic flow diagram of an exemplary user interfacesequence for a request by a non-banking customer to cash a check.

FIG. 12 is a schematic logic flow diagram of an exemplary interfacesequence for a request by a banking customer to transfer funds toanother bank and apply for a loan.

FIG. 13 is a schematic logic flow diagram of an exemplary interfacesequence for a request by a banking customer for foreign currencyexchange.

FIG. 14 is a schematic logic flow diagram of an exemplary interfacesequence for a request by a high profile banking customer for access toa banking resource.

FIG. 15 is an example of an automated banking machine touch screeninterface including at least two disposed user locations.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Incorporated herein by reference in their entirety are the disclosuresof U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,438,220; 7,438,222; 7,438,221; 7,438,219; 7,431,204;7,433,844; 7,431,206; 7,428,984; 7,424,972; 7,416,112; 7,418,592;7,419,089; 7,419,093; 7,404,515; 7,405,724; and 7,392,937. These patentsdisclose devices and systems used to carry out banking transactions, aswell as features, methods, and capabilities that may be used inconnection with the exemplary devices, systems, and methods describedherein.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, there is shown anexample schematic representation of a banking computer system 100. Itshould be understood that while only an exemplary number of eachcomponent of the banking computer system 100 may be shown in theexemplary banking computer system 100 of FIG. 1, in other exemplaryembodiments the banking computer system 100 may contain any number ofthe same or different network components.

The exemplary embodiment may include a communication network 102. Thenetwork 102 may extend within a banking office building or otherfacility, or may be distributed among a plurality of banking officebuildings or facilities. In the exemplary embodiment the network 102comprises a data transport network environment such as a packet-switchedTCP/IP-based global communication network. In the exemplary embodimentthe network 102 may comprise a number of network devices such asrouters, bridges, gateways, firewalls and any other device known in theart to allow the network 102 to be operable to provide communicationsbetween connected devices and systems. The network 102 may be a suitablycomprised network including various message transport mechanisms suchas, for example, Ethernet, Token-Ring, TM., 802.11, or other wire-basedor mobile-based data communication mechanisms.

The network 102 may comprise a local area network (LAN) and may beoperatively connected through a larger wide area network (WAN) 104. TheWAN is in operative connection to one or more computers located at ahost bank facility 106 and may be operatively connected to a pluralityof computers located at other banking facilities 108. The WAN or LAN mayalso be operatively connected to the Internet 112.

A plurality of devices operative to conduct banking or other financialtransactions may be operatively connected to the exemplary network 102.A server 90 may be operatively connected to the network that includessoftware running therein that causes the carrying out of bankingtransactions, operates to manage banking databases, and carry out otherprogrammed functions. The server 90 may be connected to one or more datastores schematically represented as data storage device 110. The networkmay be directly operatively connected to one or more data storagedevices 110.

Teller terminals 22 may be operatively connected to the network 102. Theteller terminals 22 may include computers with associated input andoutput devices or other devices that are operative to run softwareprograms locally and may be connected to data storage devices 110. Theexemplary teller 22 terminal may comprise a thin client softwarearchitecture in operative connection with a server running applicationsrequested by the teller terminal 22. Alternatively the teller terminalmay comprise a computer operative to run some applications locallytherein while accessing other applications that are run remotely onanother computer such as a server 90. In some exemplary embodimentsteller terminals comprise automated banking machines. In the exemplarysystem, one or more banking computers 20 may be operatively connected tothe exemplary network 102. A banking computer 20 may comprise one ofvarious forms of computers, including for example, a laptop, surfacecomputer, desktop computer, embedded computer, self service terminal,automated banking machine, or handheld device operative to runapplications useful in banking transactions.

The exemplary banking system 100 contains an automated banking machine88 that in the exemplary embodiment performs the functions of a currencyexchange terminal. The currency exchange terminal is in operativeconnection with the network 102. The terminal operates in accordancewith its programming to carry out currency exchange transactions.

A welcome terminal 10 is schematically represented in FIG. 1, anddiscussed in more detail later, and is operatively connected to thenetwork 102. The terminal 10 is in operative connection with one or moredata stores schematically represented by data storage device 110. Thewelcome terminal 10 is operatively connected to a camera 74 which isoperative to capture images. The welcome terminal may include featuresdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,583,813, which is herein incorporated byreference. Alternatively, the welcome terminal may be in operativeconnection with a separate computer or system which includes thefeatures and capabilities of the incorporated disclosure. The exemplarywelcome terminal 10 includes a plurality of input and output devices 46operatively connected to at least one computer in the welcome terminal10. Exemplary input devices may include a keypad 32, a keyboard 34, amouse, 36, a microphone 42, biometric input device 56, a card reader 92and an antenna 48. Exemplary output devices may include a speaker 38 anda display 44. The welcome terminal may also include a computer input andoutput device such as a touch screen. The terminal may also includeother types of devices for reading data bearing records, such as an RFIDreader, document scanner, check reader, or other such devices forexample. The welcome terminal 10 may be operative to run softwarelocally in its computer to cause the terminal to carry out all orportions of banking customer transactions. In some embodiments, welcometerminal 10 may comprise a thin client software architecture that maycause another computer such as a server 90, to cause the execution ofsoftware applications based on inputs to the terminal. The exemplarywelcome terminal may include features like those in the incorporateddisclosures and may have a computer including browser software operatingtherein. The computer architecture may operate to interpret and generatemarkup language documents for purposes of sending and receiving data andinterface content which is exchanged with one or more remote computers.Of course this approach is exemplary.

The welcome terminal 10 may be operative to display or communicateadvertising tailored to a particular customer it may have detected andmay have recognized. For example, in some exemplary embodiments theterminal may operate using features such as those described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/827,966 filed Jul. 13, 2007. In such asystem, for example, the user terminal may identify a user based on dataread from a user card, other data bearing record that identifies thecustomer, and/or their financial accounts. Such identification of acustomer from such inputs may be used to provide targeted outputinformation through the welcome terminal in the manner of theincorporated disclosure. In some embodiments the welcome terminal maycomprise an automated banking machine at which users can carry outtransactions that include transfers of value. Some exemplary embodimentsof the welcome terminals or other terminals connected in the system mayinclude features and capabilities like those shown in U.S. patentapplication Ser. Nos. 10/449,096; 11/821,701; 11/899,846; 12/011,609;and 11/454,258, the disclosures of each of which are herein incorporatedby reference in their entirety.

In some exemplary embodiments the exemplary banking computer system 100may be further comprised of a plurality of cameras 70 operativelyconnected to one or more computers in the network. The cameras 70 may becapable of capturing a series of images. For example, the cameras may beoperative to capture data corresponding to visible and/or infraredimages. The cameras in the exemplary embodiment may be operativelyconnected to the network 102 through a camera interface device 72 whichmay be of the type discussed in the incorporated disclosures. The camerainterface device 72 may include a suitable network interface card orsimilar circuitry that enables the camera to operatively communicatewith other computers and devices in the schematically indicated bankingcomputer system 100.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking computer system 100 mayfurther contain one or more antenna 80 operatively connected to thenetwork. The antenna 80 may be operatively connected to the network 102through a mobile interface device 82. The mobile interface device 82 mayinclude a suitable network interface card or similar mechanism thatenables RF signals to be sent or received through the antenna 80. Theinterface and antenna enable RF communications with one or morecomputers schematically indicated banking computer system 100. Theantenna 80 in the exemplary embodiment may operatively communicate withmobile devices internal or external to a banking facility such ascellular phones, laptop computers, handheld devices, and personaldigital assistants (PDAs). The antenna 80 in exemplary embodiments mayprovide communication through one or more suitable mobile frequenciessuch as cellular, 802.11, and Bluetooth frequencies, for example.

For example, some exemplary embodiments may include features such asthose described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,315,195; 6,702,181; 7,040,533;7,201,313; 7,216,800; 6,905,072; 7,207,477; 7,418,427; 7,150,393;7,025,256; 7,344,066; 7,392,938; and U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/983,163 filed Nov. 7, 2007. The disclosures of each of these patentsand application are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.The features of these incorporated disclosures may be used in connectionwith systems in various embodiments.

An exemplary floor plan of a banking facility is schematically shown inFIG. 2. In the exemplary embodiment one or more welcome terminals 10 maybe placed near the front door 99 of the banking facility 200. Theexemplary banking facility 200 includes a waiting area 60 where abanking customer may wait if the resources he needs to conduct thedesired banking transactions are currently busy. In the exemplaryarrangement for conducting transactions such as depositing checks,purchasing a certificate of deposit, or withdrawing of cash from anexisting account, a plurality of resources comprising teller windows 50may be provided. One or more of the teller windows 50 have adjacentthereto a teller terminal 22 (not shown in FIG. 2).

Such teller terminals in exemplary embodiments may be operativeresponsive to inputs by human tellers to assist in processing bankingcustomer transactions. In other embodiments, the teller terminals maycomprise an automated banking machine terminal that receives inputs fromcustomers. In still other exemplary embodiments, teller terminals mayinclude input and output devices that can be operated by both the humanteller or other service provider and a customer, to carry out bankingtransactions. It should be understood that in exemplary embodiments theteller terminals include a computer with connected input and outputdevices that provide an interface to the teller and/or customer. Theinput and output devices are operative to cause the computer to causethe carrying out of transactions in accordance with the provided inputs.The teller terminal is also operative to communicate in the network withother computers so as to indicate activities at the teller terminal.This activity, which may be evidenced by a receipt of inputs at theterminal and/or through communications to other computers in the system,may be used to indicate the activity ongoing at the particular resource,and also that nature of such activities, to the other computers. Suchinformation may be used in exemplary embodiments for purposes ofdetermining through operation of the computer a time after which theteller station will become available to conduct transactions for otherbanking customers. Of course it should be understood that theseapproaches are exemplary, and in other embodiments other approaches maybe used.

An office used for applying for a loan such as a mortgage or a car loan,30, and a new account office 40 used for opening new accounts or otherbanking officer transactions, are shown in the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 2. Each office 30, 40 may contain a banking computer or terminal 20operative to process transactions responsive to inputs corresponding tothe appropriate customer requests. Terminals 20 may include a computerwith connected input and output devices which provide a suitableinterface for the input and receipt of the transaction data associatedwith the type of transactions to be conducted at those resources. As isthe case with the previously discussed teller terminals, terminals 20are in operative connection with other computers in a network.

The activities conducted at the terminals 20 and the messages that passbetween such terminals and other computers are analyzed throughoperation of one or more computers in the system. Such analysis may beused to determine when the resource associated with a particularterminal is likely to become available, through operation of one or morecomputers connected in the system operating in accordance withprogrammed instructions to analyze the activities and/or messages fromsuch terminals to make such a determination. The terminals or othercomputers may also be in operative connection with cameras, motionssensors, light sensors or other suitable sensors in the rooms that canprovide signals indicative of when each room has persons presenttherein. Of course this approach is exemplary and in other embodimentsother approaches may be used.

The banking facility 200 may contain cameras 70 for capturing images.The data corresponding to which images can be used for recognizingcustomers and tracking customers within a banking facility 200. Suchcameras may be in operative connection with suitable interfaces andcomputers so as to enable such computers to identify and/or determinethe location of persons within the facility. Connected computers may beoperative to analyze such image data to determine the locations ofparticular individuals in various locations. This may include, forexample, the number of customers waiting to use a particular resource.It may also include evaluating the number of customers in variousoffices or in waiting areas at automated banking machine terminals, orin other locations, so as to provide data which is used by the computersfor purposes of determining how to direct customers so as to accomplishtransactions in the most expeditious manner. Such information may alsobe used to help assure that available resources within the bankingfacility are utilized effectively. For example, in some embodiments oneor more connected computers may operate responsive to an indication thatthere are multiple customers waiting to access one resource, while aservice provider such as a teller or a bank officer is currently notoccupied at another resource. A computer may operate in accordance witha determination that such conditions exist, to cause a message to besent to the resource to advise the bank employee who is currently notoccupied to switch to another resource location within the facility, soas to assure that transactions for customers are accomplished promptly.Of course these approaches are exemplary.

In operation, the exemplary welcome terminal 10 operates to displayadvertising through a display to banking customers. The welcome terminal10 may also be operative to provide outputs that describe what bankingtransactions or services are available at the banking facility 200 wherethe welcome terminal 10 is located. The welcome terminal 10 may bepositioned inside the banking location near a customer entrance. Inother arrangements, the terminal may be located outside the bank in alocation that may attract banking customers to cause them to provideinputs which correspond to banking transactions they may like toperform.

In some exemplary embodiments, when a banking customer approaches thewelcome terminal 10 in response to one of the advertisements, thewelcome terminal 10 may operate to prompt the banking customer toprovide inputs responsive to the outputs through the display 44, speaker38 and other suitable output devices corresponding to what attracted thebanking customer to the advertisement. The customer may be identified bythe terminal operating to read data from data bearing records whichidentify the customer. This may include a user card that is read throughoperation of a reading device in the welcome terminal. Such a user cardmay include a magnetic stripe card, RFID card, customer Fob, token,mobile device, passbook, fingerprint, or other data bearing record whichprovides data usable to identify the customer or the customer'sfinancial accounts. In some exemplary embodiments the welcome terminal10 is then operative to tailor a response to the banking customer toprovide further detailed information of further interest to the bankingcustomer. This may be done in the manner described in the incorporateddisclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/827,966. Of coursethis approach is exemplary, and in other embodiments other approachesmay be used.

In some exemplary embodiments the welcome terminal 10 may be operable touse a camera 74 on the welcome terminal or other cameras 70 operativelyconnected to the network 102 to capture images of a banking customer ator approaching the welcome terminal. By processing the image data usingimage recognition software locally or such software in operativeconnection with other computers, the banking customer may be identified.For example, some embodiments may utilize the features described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/825,553 filed Jul. 6, 2007, thedisclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.When the banking customer is identified, information about the bankingcustomer may be retrieved through operation of one or more computers,from a database 110. Such computers may be in a welcome terminal 10 ormay be other computers connected in the banking computer system 100. Byusing the retrieved customer information, a personalized advertisementor other tailored messages may be presented to the banking customerthrough one or more output devices on the welcome terminal. In someexemplary embodiments a computer may operate to cause a personalizedgreeting to be displayed on the welcome terminal 10 to greet the bankingcustomer. In other exemplary embodiments data corresponding to the mostrecent transactions of the banking customer may be displayed on thewelcome terminal, and the welcome terminal 10 may provide outputs thatprompt the banking customer to provide selected inputs if they wouldlike to perform a transaction like one of the transactions displayed.The banking customer may then provide one or more inputs operative toselect one or more transaction types they would like to perform at thebanking facility 200. In an exemplary embodiment, the welcome terminalmay operate in accordance with its programming to cause indiciacorresponding to the desired tasks to graphically appear in a list in anarea of the display 44 of the welcome terminal 10 for reference by thebanking customer.

In some exemplary embodiments when the banking customer is notinterested in the advertising and does not provide an identifying inputin response thereto, and the customer is not recognized in anothermanner, the banking customer may otherwise identify himself to thewelcome terminal 10. In some exemplary embodiments the banking customermay identify himself by inserting a data bearing record such as a bankor credit card into a card reader 92. In some exemplary embodiments, theuser may also or alternatively enter a personal ID number (PIN) throughthe keypad 32 or enter a password through the keyboard 34. In someexemplary embodiments the banking customer may be identified by thewelcome terminal 10 by sensing biometric data with a biometric datainput device 56. Such a biometric input device may include a fingerprintreader, iris scanner, retina scan, hand scanner, voice print recognitiondevice, or other suitable device that can recognize a biometric inputassociate with a user. At least one computer operatively connected inthe system will then operate in accordance with its programming toanalyze the received data and compare it with stored data to identifythe particular user who has provided the input. In some embodiments thecomputer may operate to identify a user in response to multiple inputsor combinations of inputs that can be analyzed and correlated with aparticular user. After a banking customer identity has been determined,the welcome terminal 10 may operate to retrieve the banking customeraccount information and present it to the banking customer through thedisplay 44 or other output device, for example.

If the banking customer is not recognized and not verified, he may beprompted to provide inputs indicating what type of new customer bankingproduct or service he may be interested in. In some exemplaryembodiments the new customer may be shown on a welcome terminal 10output device indicia corresponding to types of accounts the bankingcustomer may open that the banking location 200. The new bankingcustomer may be prompted with account information tailored to the typeof account that the banking customer selected. The welcome terminal mayalso operate to output indicia corresponding to other types of bankingtransactions and services which are offered by the banking facility. Thebanking customer may provide inputs to the terminal indicating the typeof transaction or service in which the customer is interested. In someexemplary embodiments when a possible new banking customer is detected,an image of the banking customer may be captured responsive to operationof one or more computers in the banking computer system 100. The imageis sent to a terminal or other output device in proximity to a bankingemployee to allow the banking employee to offer a more personal welcomegreeting to the banking customer.

In some exemplary embodiments when an existing customer or a newcustomer has provided inputs to the welcome terminal 10 indicating arequest to open an account or process a banking transaction, the bankingcustomer may be prompted through outputs from the welcome terminal tobegin entering customer information at the welcome terminal 10 relatedto the activity or transaction that the banking customer is capable ofentering. The information may include the name, address, phone number,income history and other personal information of the banking customerpertinent to the requested transaction. If the banking customer is anexisting or former customer, then the personal data of that customer maybe retrieved through operation of one or more computers from a databaseon the computer network 100. The data associated with the bankingcustomer may be used at the welcome terminal 10 to supply data for therequested transaction along with data the banking customer has enteredat the welcome terminal 10. For example in some exemplary embodiments,the welcome terminal may operate in accordance with its computer'sprogramming to provide an output that asks the banking customer toconfirm information that is retrieved through operation of the bank'scomputer from the data store. In this way, information that has changedcan be updated. This might include, for example, contact information forthe user, including information such as new cell phone numbers, emailaddresses, a mailing address or other information that may be helpful interms of providing services to the customer.

In some exemplary embodiments the welcome terminal 10 may be inoperative communication with a pre-transaction processing system thatincludes task analyzer software, task queuing manager software, and wayfinding software. In some exemplary embodiments portions of each ofthese software functions may reside on different banking computers orcomputers in resources in the banking computer system 100, which areoperable to execute software instructions. In some exemplary embodimentsthe banking computer system 100 architecture may be balanced and thesoftware and corresponding databases 110 distributed among operativelyconnected computers in a way that allows for a banking computer system100 that has high throughput of customer transactions and reasonablebanking computer system 100 costs. Of course those approaches may beused in different embodiments.

In some exemplary embodiments task analyzer software is operative toanalyze the desired banking transactions identified by a bankingcustomer and determine which tasks (if any) a banking resource couldcurrently begin. For example, if the banking customer indicated theywanted to do a transfer and apply for a home equity line of credit, abanking system computer may begin to execute steps in accordance withits programming to process the home equity line of credit first. Thebanking resource such as a computer terminal located in the office towhich the customer will eventually be directed to review and sign loanpapers may begin to operate in response to communication with one ormore other computers to begin to populate the forms with data that isavailable in connected databases in the banking system. Thus the bankingresource that will be associated with the transaction will begin to takethe steps necessary to open the home equity line of credit to the extentpossible without customer or banking officer involvement. When thebanking customer is later directed to the home equity loan officer, thehome equity loan officer would already have some of the necessary workcompleted. The capability of pre-processing banking customer bankingtransactions may produce a more pleasant, efficient and integratedbanking experience for the banking customer. The bank may benefit inreduced employee cost and with less resources needed to process bankingcustomer transactions. Of course this approach is exemplary, and inother embodiments other approaches may be used.

In some exemplary embodiments task queuing manager software would beoperative to determine how the requested banking transactions may mostefficiently be completed. In the exemplary embodiment the task queuingmanager software may dynamically determine the best and most efficientway to prompt the banking customer on how to accomplish the requestedtransactions. For example, a banking customer may indicate a desire toperform two types of transactions. One transaction may be performed at acurrency exchange terminal 88 rather than the welcome station. Thesecond transaction may need a banking employee teller to accomplish thetask (purchase a certificate of deposit, for example). The task queuingmanager software may be operative in real-time to look at theavailability of the two banking resources required. If it is discoveredthat the currency exchange terminal 88 was not being used at that time,but all the teller stations operating were currently busy, the bankingcustomer would be directed through outputs from the welcome terminal tothe currency exchange terminal 88 to perform that banking transactionfirst.

The banking customer may be directed to the currency exchange terminal88 by displaying a prompt on the display 44 of the welcome terminal 10.The banking customer may also be presented a map output on the display44 showing how to proceed from the welcome terminal 10 to the currencyexchange terminal 88. At the same time, the banking customer may beplaced in a “virtual queue” for a teller station. When the bankingcustomer finishes the currency exchange transaction, the currencyexchange terminal 88 may then be operative responsive to messages fromthe computer establishing the virtual queue to direct the bankingcustomer to the appropriate teller station.

A teller at the station to which the customer is directed may beexpecting a banking customer with any “pre-work” already completed. Suchwork may be accomplished through communications between the tellerterminal at the particular teller station and one or more computerswhich are operative to accomplish the necessary processing stepsassociated with the transaction type which the customer indicated thecustomer wished to conduct through inputs at the welcome terminal. Thetask analyzer software discussed earlier operates to cause the bankingteller terminal in conjunction with the teller at that station toaccomplish the preliminary work. Alternatively, if the currency exchangeterminal 10 was not immediately available but a teller station wasavailable, then the task queuing manager software would be operative todirect the banking customer to proceed to the banking teller station andthen the customer would then be directed to the currency exchangeterminal 88 after the transaction at the teller station was completed.

In the exemplary embodiment the way finding software may be operative toanalyze outputs from the queuing manager software. In some exemplaryembodiments the way finding software may be operable to generate outputsthat include directions that may be presented to the banking customer onresources which include devices operatively connected in the bankingnetwork 102. The directions may be presented to the banking customerthrough a display in the welcome terminal 10, currency exchange terminal88, banking terminal, a display at a teller location 50, waiting area60, a display surface of a surface computer, or any device locationthrough which a banking customer may receive directions. Other resourceswithin the banking facility may include transaction stations such asthose described in patent application Ser. Nos. 10/390,342 filed Mar.17, 2003, and/or 11/100,148 filed Apr. 5, 2005, the disclosures of eachof which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. Suchresources may also include terminals used in connection with accessingfacilities such as safety deposit box areas in vaults such as thosedescribed in application Ser. No. 12/004,758 filed Dec. 21, 2007, thedisclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. In addition, in some exemplary embodiments resources mayinclude transaction stations located in walk-through or drive-throughlanes associated with the banking facility. These may include systemssuch as those described in patent application Ser. No. 11/825,752 filedJul. 9, 2007, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated byreference in its entirety. Of course these resources, devices, featuresand functions are exemplary, and in other embodiments other approachesmay be used.

In some exemplary embodiments the directions to customers may beprovided in audio format from any location which includes a suitableoutput device from which a banking customer may receive audiodirections. In exemplary embodiments the directions may be output toallow a banking customer to find the way to the next destination whichhas a resource to complete the next in a series of banking transactionsthe customer wishes to conduct. For example, when the queuing systemsoftware determined the banking customer was to proceed to the currencyexchange terminal 88, the way-finding analyzer would operate using datacorresponding to that destination along with data corresponding to theknown current location at which the banking customer is interacting withother devices on the banking system 100, to resolve a route for thebanking customer to follow. A route may be shown graphically to thebanking customer in the form of a map in the context of the floor planof the banking facility 200. In some exemplary embodiments the map maybe displayed on an output device on a resource or through output deviceswhere the banking customer is currently located in the banking facility.

In other embodiments, outputs including a map may be provided to a userthrough a mobile device. This mobile device may be of the type suppliedto the customer by the banking facility to facilitate user transactions.Such a device may include a device that a customer may receive from thewelcome terminal or from a bank employee for use only during the timethat the banking customer is in the bank. Alternatively, the bankingcustomer may be provided with a fob, token or other suitable devicewhich includes an indicator or output device which the banking customermay retain when the banking customer is outside the bank. Further inalternative embodiments, directions and other information may bedelivered to a customer's portable phone or other mobile device so as tofacilitate the customer's movement efficiently between resources in thebanking facility. Of course these approaches are exemplary.

In some exemplary embodiments computers in the system may operate sothere is coordination with the destination point for a customer. Anoutput device may be operated so a message may be displayed at thelocation of the resource, such as “reserved for (customer name) . . . ”or “welcome Mr. (customer name).” Alternatively, the computers mayoperate to facilitate maintaining the customer's privacy. This mayinclude providing outputs on a display that include only the customer'sfirst name and last initial. Alternatively, a display may include onlyinitials. Further in some embodiments other customer identifiers may beused that further maintain anonymity of the customer. These may includenumerical or character designators which are associated with outputsprovided to the customer through the welcome terminal or otherresources, or through a customer's mobile device. After a bankingtransaction is complete at the first destination or resource, the wayfinding software may cause output of a map or information showing thebanking customer how to proceed to the next destination.

In some exemplary embodiments banking resources such as automated tellermachines, the teller terminal 22 and the banking computers 20 may beoperative to run workflow analysis software, customer awarenesssoftware, and image tracking software. In some exemplary embodimentsportions of each of the workflow analysis software, customer awarenesssoftware, and image tracking software may reside on differentcomputerized banking resources in the banking computer system 100operable to execute software instructions. Of course these approachesare exemplary, and other types of systems, software architectures, andconcentrated or distributing processing systems may be used.

In some exemplary embodiments the workflow analyzer software may beoperable to receive outputs from the task analyzer software discussedearlier, and may be operative to define what steps a human teller willneed to perform in order to complete the selected transaction for thecustomer. In some exemplary embodiments after the task analyzer softwareresolves the steps needed to execute a banking transaction, it mayprovide outputs to the teller (or other appropriate bank personnel) on adisplay device corresponding to those items and/or action steps thatapply to the task. For example, if the requested banking transaction isto open a certificate of deposit, the workflow analyzer software mayprompt on an output device of the banking employee's terminal, to carryout only those items that adhere to the business rules associated withopening a certificate of deposit. In the exemplary embodiments theworkflow analyzer software may be operative to present as outputs to thebanking employee only the forms and procedures that pertain to openingthe certificate of deposit. In the exemplary embodiment forms andprocedures may come to the banking employee with data already populatedinto an electronic form that was generated and/or processed earlier fromthe task analysis software phase and populated with information that mayhave earlier been collected at the welcome terminal 10 or gatheredthrough operation of a computer in connection with one or more datastores in the system that include the customer's information.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking customer awareness softwaremay alert the appropriate bank employees to certain information aboutcustomers that may currently be in the banking facility 200. Forexample, if an individual that is not identified as a current customerindicated at the welcome terminal 10 an interest in opening a checkingaccount, the welcome terminal 10 may operate to capture an image of thatcustomer and cause that image to be conveyed to a banking customerawareness software function. In the exemplary embodiment the bankingcustomer awareness software may make a bank employee aware of where thatbanking customer was directed go and transmit that image to an outputdevice so the employee may see what the banking customer looked like. Insome exemplary embodiments computers connected in the system may operateresponsive to their programmed instructions to cause outputs to aselected banking employee's terminal which include visual informationwhich indicates, for example, “Customer #1 is interested in opening achecking account and was told to go to the waiting area . . . and thebanking customer looks like ‘this’<shows their picture>.” With thatinformation, a bank employee may go to the waiting area to greet the newcustomer in a more personal manner because the bank employee alreadyknows who to approach. For example, the bank employee is now enabled tosay: “Hello. My name is Bob Jones and I understand you'd like to open anaccount with us. Please let me take you to our new accounts manager.” Inalternative systems, bank employees may be provided with mobileterminals which include suitable output devices for receiving messagesand pictures. Computers connected in the system may operate inaccordance with their programming to send messages via wirelesscommunication to the particular employee's mobile terminal whichidentifies the customer and provides the information on the customer andthe type of transaction that customer would like to conduct. Thisapproach enables the bank employees to be roaming and still receive theinformation. Of course this approach is exemplary, and in otherembodiments other approaches may be used.

In some exemplary embodiments the image tracking software may beoperative to track banking customers and/or bank employees wherever theywere relative to the floor plan of the banking facility 200. Forexample, if a banking customer was directed to proceed to a waiting areaand the banking customer never made it to the waiting area because thebanking customer may have been distracted by a friend in another area ofthe lobby, the bank employee may not be able to greet the customer. Insome exemplary embodiments the banking customer tracking may beaccomplished by utilizing the image data captured through videosurveillance of the entire banking facility 200. A video stream of thefloor area from all the cameras may be fed to image tracking softwarerunning in one or more computers.

In the exemplary embodiment all the points of customer interaction maybe recorded as data values stored in memory associated with a computerso those points are known relative to customer positions on the floor ofthe facility. For example, the welcome terminal 10 may be at a floorgrid with coordinates E7. When the image tracking software determinesthat Customer #1 has provided inputs that correspond to a request toopen a banking account at the welcome terminal 10, the welcome terminalmay provide that data to the computer running the person image trackingsoftware. In some exemplary embodiments the image tracking software isthen operative to cause data to be generated that corresponds to thelocation of the Customer #1 being at the welcome terminal 10 whichcorresponds to coordinate E7. Next, the image tracking software operatesto track Customer #1 as the customer moves from one camera 70 field ofview to another. The cameras 70 may feed image data corresponding to thereal-time movement of the customer to the image tracking software whichmay use a mapping function to overlay the coordinates of each customerbeing tracked on a floor plan of the branch. The computer may operate tooutput this “live” information to bank personnel through output devicesoperatively connected to the computer through an animated graphic withcustomer names, privileges, reference numbers, or other data shownattached to the moving objects.

In an exemplary embodiment if the bank employee does not find Customer#1 in the waiting area 60, the employee may provide an input to ahandheld device and data corresponding to an animated map of customermovement within the lobby could be sent to the handheld device of thebank employee. With information about where Customer #1 is located on alayout of the banking facility 200, the banking employee may nowapproach Customer #1 and great them in a proper manner.

In other exemplary embodiments the banking customers may be tracked bycapturing and processing image data which is analyzed by one or morecomputers that identify the particular customer by various propertiesthat can be sensed by sensors and devices in operative connection withthe computer. In some exemplary embodiments the banking customer may betracked using signals from a plurality of sensors positioned in an arraythroughout the banking facility 200 floor. Sensors in the floor maysense the weight of a banking customer and how that weight isdistributed to various portions of the footprint of a banking customeras the banking customer moves about the banking facility 200. Thesensors may also or alternatively include an array of photo sensors. Thesensors are in operative connection with one or more computers. Thecomputers operate to analyze the data from the sensors indicating theweight that is currently sensed thereon and/or the interruption of photosensor beams. The computer may then operate to track the user from theknown starting point throughout the area of the bank where the sensorsare located. In some other exemplary embodiments the shoe print of abanking customer may be captured with cameras at a low level or in thebanking facility 200 floor. In exemplary embodiments, low height levelcameras may operate to identify an image of a customer's shoe asassociated with that particular customer. The image of the shoe may beanalyzed and recorded such that when the image of that shoe is seen byother cameras, the computer operates to identify a particular customerthat is associated with the shoe image. The banking customer may then betracked within the banking facility 200 by tracking his shoe image. Itshould be understood that in other embodiments other articles on orassociated with customers could be used for tracking the customer withinthe banking facility. This may include articles of clothing, items ofjewelry, or other identifiable features that will remain associated withthe particular customer through the customer's activities at the bankfacility.

In other exemplary embodiments a banking customer may be tracked by aunique signal emitted from a mobile device the banking customer carries.A plurality of sensors may detect the unique mobile signal and thatsignal may be triangulated within the banking facility 200 to determinethe location of the banking customer. In yet some other embodiments abanking customer may be tracked by sensors and software operative todetect biometric data such as readable scanning features of the eye orfacial features as the banking customer arrives and moves within thebanking facility 200.

Some exemplary embodiments may include special areas within a bankingfacility reserved for a segment of banking customers with “highnet-worth customers” that are of high value to the banking facility. Theexplanation of a banking customer segment here will use “high net-worthcustomers” and services they find of value, but the use of a bankingcustomer segment may be used to identify other groups of people withcommon transaction characteristics, such as small business customers, orsafe-deposit customers, for example.

In some exemplary embodiments the use of a personal identificationdevice may be used to identify a banking customer segment to the bank oreven individual customers of high interest or value. In some exemplaryembodiments the personal identification device may comprise a devicethat is specifically issued to the customer who is within the customersegment or category. For example in some embodiments, the personalidentification device may comprise a fob, card or other article that isoperative to emit or provide one or more unique signals or data thatidentify the customer. For example in some embodiments, the personalidentification device may include an RFID device which is operative toprovide a unique signal that identifies the customer. Such an RFIDdevice may include articles such as a credit or debit card whichincludes an RFID indicator thereon. Alternatively, the article mayinclude a token, fob or other item that a user may include on the user'sperson when traveling to the banking facility. Of course theseapproaches are exemplary.

When a person in the segment is detected upon their approaching orarriving at the banking facility, the banking facility and bankingcomputer system may be operative to identify the banking customer bymatching the signals emitted or output by the person's identificationdevice with data stored in at least one data store. In some exemplaryembodiments once the banking customer is identified, the bankingfacility may begin to prepare the banking environment for services thatparticular person, or a person in a particular customer segment,typically desire. This may include, for example, providing outputs ondisplay devices or at the customer terminal acknowledging the customerby name. Alternatively or in addition, at least one computer may beoperative to communicate with a computer terminal or a portable devicecarried by a banking employee. The communications with the portabledevice or the bank employee computer may be operative to advise theemployee of the identify of the customer approaching the bank, andadvise the employee to greet the customer. Further in some exemplaryembodiments, the computer may be operative to recover data correspondingto an image of a customer that is displayed to the bank employee. Thiswill facilitate the employee identifying the customer so that theemployee can personally greet the customer as the customer enters orapproaches the bank. In some exemplary embodiments detection of thepersonal identification device may also be operative to begin executionof the previously discussed software routines like the way findingsoftware, queuing manager software, and task analyzer software.

In some exemplary embodiments the personal identification device may bea biometrically enabled device. The biometric personal identificationdevice may only become active when the person to whom it has beenregistered has personal possession of the device and provides a uniquebiometric input. For example, the personal identification device mayonly be operative to output one or more signals for a period of timeafter a user has provided an input such as a fingerprint over a scannerincluded on the device. Alternatively in some embodiments, theidentification device may respond to a user's voice print or otherperceptible input to cause it to provide the identifying output. In someexemplary embodiments when the personal device is active it may emit aradio frequency signal that may be detected by one or more receivingdevices that are operative to receive the signal and operativelycommunicate data corresponding to the signal to the banking computersystem of the banking facility when the customer approaches or entersthe facility.

In some exemplary embodiments upon being detected, a particular bankingcustomer or a person belonging to a specific banking customer segmentwould have a space reserved for them (a private financial consultationroom, for example) allowing them to proceed directly to that space. Thismay include, for example, the computer operating in accordance with aninstruction to activate an output device to indicate the customer's nameor other identifier on an output device associated with the privatemeeting room. One or more sensors adjacent to the meeting room mayoperate to unlock a door or other access control device as the user'sidentification device is sensed in proximity to the door. In someexemplary embodiments after a reservation was in place for a particularcustomer, no other banking customer could use that room even if theyalso had a similar device. In some exemplary embodiments once thebanking customer for whom the room was reserved for enters the room,they may again need to identify themselves with the device or otherwisebefore they may proceed with the special services. This may beaccompanied by one or more sensors sensing the device within the room.Alternatively or in addition, the user could further identify themselvesthrough a secondary form of authentication. This could take the form ofproviding inputs to an input device, such as a card reader reading acard, an input of a PIN number through a keypad, or a biometric input.Of course these approaches are exemplary, and in other embodiments otherapproaches may be used.

FIG. 3 shows schematically an exemplary method of processing bankingtransactions using a welcome terminal 300. The method may include a step302 where an image of a banking customer approaching or at a bankingterminal may be captured through operation of one or more computers. Theimage may be optical or of any method that may be useful to identify ortrack the banking customer. The banking customer may be identified instep 304. The identification may be by computer analysis of opticalimages, facial images, infrared images or any other method to identifythe banking customer. At step 306 input may be received at a welcometerminal located near the bank entrance from a banking customer that hasentered a bank. The input may include information about the types oftransactions the banking customer wants to perform at the bankingfacility 200. In some exemplary embodiments the banking customer may nowbegin entering data corresponding to the types of transactions thebanking customer would like to transact. At step 308 the input receivedfrom the banking customer is analyzed through operation of a computer todetermine which transaction may be processed first. The determinationmay be made by a banking computer system determining which resources areneeded for each requested transaction and which of the needed resourcesare then currently available. The banking customer may be routed to afirst location at step 310 through outputs from the welcome terminaland/or other devices. In some exemplary embodiments one or morecomputers may operate to present the banking customer with a map at thewelcome terminal displaying how to proceed to the first location. Atstep 312 an image of the banking customer may be transmitted throughoperation of one or more computers to a computer or other output deviceaccessible to a bank employee. The image may be used by the bankemployee to personally greet the banking customer or to find the bankingcustomer. The banking customer may be tracked in step 314. The trackingmay be performed by the banking computer system through one or more ofthe approaches as discussed above. At step 316 the location of thetracked banking customer is presented to a banking employee through oneor more output devices such as a computer display or a portable handheldterminal. The displayed location may enable a banking employee to moreeasily find the banking customer.

FIG. 4 schematically represents an exemplary method of processingbanking transactions using a welcome terminal 400. The first five stepsof the exemplary method may be identical to the first five steps of themethod in FIG. 3. At the sixth step 412, the banking customer may betracked through operation of one or more computers. At step 414 the datathe banking customer may have entered into the welcome terminal iscommunicated to one or more computers that are operative to analyzeand/or communicate the customer data to a resource at a first locationwhere the customer is being directed to carry out a transaction. Abanking resource such as a computer terminal or other device at thefirst location operates to begin processing the first transaction beforethe banking customer arrives at the first location. At step 416 thebanking customer may be presented information through the welcometerminal or other output device about how to get to the first location.The first banking transaction is processed at step 418. This isaccomplished by the customer interacting with the banking resource atthe first location. This may include, for example, providing inputs toterminal devices either by the customer or human operator, or otheractivities as are necessary to carry out the transaction. At step 420 adetermination is made through operation of a computer as to whichbanking transaction may be processed second. The determination may bemade by the computer or computers in a similar manner as was thedetermination to determine the first transaction in step 408. One ormore computers operate to cause data corresponding to the customerand/or the selected transaction which is to be processed second to betransmitted to the banking resource at the second location in step 422,which may allow the second transaction processing to begin before thebanking customer arrives at the second location. At step 424 the bankingcustomer is routed to the second location by the first resource or othermanner, and the second transaction is completed at step 426. If thereare more transactions, then step 420 through 424 may be repeated foreach transaction until all transactions are completed.

In some exemplary embodiments rather than waiting until a bankingcustomer has arrived at a welcome terminal, the banking customer maycontact the banking facility before arriving at the bank, through thecustomer's mobile device. This may be done by the mobile devicecommunicating with one or more computers in the banking network. Thismay be done, for example, through a cell phone connection or otherwireless communication methodology. In some exemplary embodiments someof the functions of the welcome terminal discussed above, such asidentifying a banking customer, may be accomplished by the messages from(i.e., an originating phone number or network address of) the mobiledevice. This may include, for example, receiving from the customersuitable identifying inputs through the mobile device. The identifyinginputs are transmitted to one or more computers and compared to storeddata so that the customer may be identified. One or more computers inthe banking network may operate to generate and cause to be presented onthe mobile device a list of the banking transactions a banking customermay desire to perform. The customer may operate the mobile device toprovide inputs which correspond to the one or more banking transactionswhich the customer desires to perform. This may be done throughoperation of the mobile device and software operating therein, as aresult of communications with one or more computers in the bankingsystem. Such inputs may cause one or more computers of the bankingsystem to begin preprocessing or other activities to prepare for thetransactions that the banking customer will conduct when the customerarrives at the banking facility.

In some exemplary embodiments the mobile device may comprise a personaldevice such as a mobile phone or PDA. In some exemplary embodiments amobile device may connect with the banking computer system through anymobile system including cellular, Wi-Fi, WiMax or 802.11. Of coursethese are exemplary.

After a mobile device is in operative connection with a computer in thebanking network, it may be used to pre-order financial services orbanking transactions from wherever and whenever the banking customerdesired. In some exemplary embodiments the pre-ordered transactions orservices may then be processed through operation of the computers at aconvenient time and place before the banking customer needs themcompleted or arrives at a banking facility. If the banking customer doesnot need the transactions completed that day or later that day, thebanking computer system may schedule the transactions to be completed ata future time, or completed to the extent possible until the bankingcustomer arrives at a banking location.

For example, a customer may have a mobile device that can be used tocommunicate with one or more computers in the banking system, and has 10checks the customer wishes to deposit. The banking customer may enablean application on their handheld device to begin to operate andcommunicate with one or more computers in the banking computer system.In some exemplary embodiments portions of the mobile application mayreside in the mobile device or on computers in a banking computersystem. In some exemplary embodiments the mobile software applicationmay be text message based, or may communicate using a web application.

Using a mobile device, the banking customer may provide one or moreinputs to identify themself and enter a personal identification number(PIN) in private. In some exemplary embodiments the transaction sequencecarried out through operation of the mobile device interface may besimilar to the transaction sequence described above with a welcometerminal, except that it is being conducted on a mobile device. Thebanking customer may select from a menu output on a display of themobile device to “deposit checks” at a branch. The mobile device maythen operate to cause data corresponding to the customer's selections tobe communicated to one or more computers in the banking computer system.The banking computer system may then provide communications to themobile device that cause the device to instruct the banking customer howto proceed to the nearest banking facility 200 location that mayaccommodate the desired transactions. The banking customer may beprompted through outputs that include a map or directions to the bankingfacility 200.

The banking customer arrives later at the banking location to which thecustomer was directed. In some exemplary embodiments the presence of thebanking customer may be detected at the banking facility 200 throughoperation of the mobile device. In some exemplary embodiments a signalsuch as an RFID, Bluetooth, or other radio signal may output by thedevice and detected by the banking computer system. In some exemplaryembodiments when the banking computer system detects the arrival of thebanking customer, the banking computer system may process the bankingtransactions the banking customer requested earlier using the taskanalyzer software and queuing manager software as previously discussed.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking computer system may operate inaccordance with its programming to identify the resource that isavailable to perform the requested transactions and may direct thebanking customer through outputs from the banking customer's mobiledevice where in the branch to proceed. In some exemplary embodiments themobile device may receive communications that direct the bankingcustomer and cause the device to output a map or floor plan of thebanking facility. This may be accomplished in a manner similar to themaps shown on the welcome terminal discussed earlier. In some exemplaryembodiments the banking customer may be prompted responsive to softwaresimilar to the operation of the way finding software discussed earlierto cause the mobile device to present a map accompanied with a messagesuch as “Please proceed to Check Deposit Terminal #1.” In some exemplaryembodiments “Terminal #1” may be reserved by providing an output thatincludes the name of the banking customer. This may be done, forexample, by the computer system operating to cause an output through anoutput device adjacent to or on the terminal, which output indicates thecustomer name or other identifying information for the customer. Ofcourse this approach is exemplary, and in other embodiments otherapproaches may be used.

In some exemplary embodiments when the banking customer arrives at theterminal, they may press an application button on their mobile device orprovide another type input that operates to inform the banking computersystem they are at the indicated location. The banking computer systemmay generate a verification message for one-time use and display themessage on the terminal where the banking customer should now belocated. The banking computer system may then operate to instruct thebanking customer through their mobile device to enter a one-time messagethat the banking computer generated, as inputs into the bankingcustomer's mobile device. If the banking customer enters theverification message, this is received by one or more computers andoperates to verify to the banking computer system that the bankingcustomer is at the targeted terminal. In some exemplary embodiments, thebanking customer is from this time instructed through the mobile device,the terminal, or both, to refer to instructions on the terminal'sdisplay to execute the physical check deposit into the automated bankingmachine terminal. Once the checks are deposited, the check images andsummary information may be compiled into an electronic acknowledgment.One or more computers in the banking system operate to cause to betransmitted to the customer's mobile device, a record of thetransaction.

In another example, a small businessman places a request from his mobiledevice to pick up his cash drawer money for the day (banded bills androlled coins) in a drive-up lane. The small businessman may complete amobile-based ordering transaction similar to the first example andindicate his desire to pick up his order at a pneumatic tube terminal,which is also referred to as a VAT terminal in a drive-up environment.This may be done through inputs to the user's mobile phone. The mobilephone is operative to communicate data corresponding to the inputswirelessly to one or more computers in the banking system. The bankingsystem is operative responsive to its programming to cause one or morecomputers to analyze the inputs and determine what steps should be takenprior to the customer's arrival to accomplish the customer's desiredtransactions. When the small businessman arrives in the parking lot, hemay be detected automatically as discussed above. Alternatively, thecustomer may be detected by a camera system that captures images andthat is in operative connection with a computer that operates facialrecognition software. Of course these approaches are exemplary. Thedetection initiates a queuing function in at least one computer and mayreactivate the computer processing data corresponding to the pendingtransaction. The businessman is queued for the cash pickup transactionfor “Lane #1” and is instructed to proceed to that lane on his mobiledevice. This is done responsive to operation of one or more computerswhich provide outputs that are wirelessly transmitted to the customer'smobile device. The mobile device is operative to output instructions tothe customer through its display or other output device.

Once the businessman arrives in the correct lane, he may press anapplication button on his mobile device or otherwise provide inputs toindicate to the system he is in position. The system is operative togenerate a one-time use pass code, transmits it and causes it to beoutput to the customer, who may view it on his mobile device. The outputthrough the mobile device may be operative to prompt the customer toenter the one-time use pass code into a keypad or other input devicepositioned adjacent to or on a customer terminal of a pneumatic tubetransport system. For purposes of this disclosure, a pneumatic tubetransport system is also referred to as a “VAT” system. The input of thecode through the input device is operative to indicate to one or morecomputers in the system that the businessman is where he should be andmay receive the currency. The computer system operates in response tothe one-time use input to cause the requested funds to be delivered tothe customer through the pneumatic tube system. This may be done, forexample, by the computer operating to cause one or more outputs throughan output device associated with a resource such as a teller terminal.In response to such an output, a teller may collect the desired itemsand place them in a pneumatic tube carrier for transmission to thecustomer. Alternatively in other embodiments, an automated device whichmay be of the type in the incorporated disclosure operates to collectthe desired items and place them in a carrier on an automated basiswhich is transmitted through the pneumatic tube system to the customer.In still other embodiments, the one or more computers in the bankingsystem may communicate with devices such as cash dispensers and rolledcoin dispensers to make available the items that have been requested bythe customer, so that either a human teller or an automated system maycause them to be placed in and delivered to the pneumatic tube system.Of course these approaches are exemplary, and in other embodiments otherapproaches may be used.

In some exemplary embodiments a banking customer may be issued a bankingcard when the banking customer opens an account at the banking location.The banking card may be operatively used to identify the bankingcustomer to the welcome terminal or remote automated banking machines orATMs. The banking card may be operative to identify a banking customerto a mobile device used by banking employees before the mobile device isauthorized to request or conduct transactions within the bankingfacility 200. The banking card may include one or more features thereinor thereon that are operative to provide outputs that identify thecustomer. These may include, for example, an RFID tag that is operativeto provide data which can be used to identify the customer. In otherembodiments the card may include a memory chip or other memory devicewhich holds data that can be used to identify the customer. In stillother embodiments the card may include a magnetic stripe which has dataencoded thereon that can be used to identify the customer. Numerousdifferent types of data storage arrangements may be used in variousembodiments. Further it should be understood for purposes of thisdiscussion, a card may include other articles of a small and portablevariety that may be suitable to provide identifying inputs associatedwith a customer.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary method ofprocessing banking transactions in a system that includes a welcometerminal 500. The method may include a step 502 where one or more inputsare received from a banking customer through an input device included ona mobile device. The input may be received before the banking customerarrives at a bank and may contain information about the types oftransactions the banking customer would like to perform. Datacorresponding to the one or more inputs is transmitted through wirelesscommunication to one or more computers included in the banking computersystem. At step 504 the input is analyzed through operation of one ormore computers to determine which one of a plurality of bankingtransactions requested by the customer will be processed first and whereto route the banking customer once the customer arrives at the bank. Thebanking customer is routed to a first location in step 506. This is donethrough communication between one or more computers in the system andthe mobile device. The mobile device provides outputs to indicate to thecustomer where the customer is to go. Alternatively, the customer may beprovided with outputs through other output devices that are perceivablein the area where the customer is located, either inside or outside ofthe banking facility. This may include, for example, beginning toprepare necessary items for delivery to the customer through operationof a self service terminal or automated banking machine. Alternativelyit may include the generation of electronic and/or paper forms throughoperation of a computer terminal. In other embodiments it may includethe generation of other items by a service provider in response tooutputs from a teller terminal or other terminal device.

In step 508 data entered by the banking customer is transmitted throughoperation of at least one computer to a first location. The firstlocation may correspond to the banking resource that will handle thefirst banking transaction. Transferring the data to the first locationmay allow the first banking transaction processing to begin by theresource before the banking customer arrives at the first transactionlocation. At step 510 the banking customer may be detected when theyarrive at the bank location. This may be done, for example, by detectingthe presence of the customer's mobile device at the bank location bysensing RF signals or other signals emitted from the device.Alternatively, detecting the customer at the bank may be accomplishedthrough image analysis based on images captured by cameras and processedthrough one or more computers to identify a facial or other imageassociated with the customer. In still other embodiments otheridentifying aspects associated with the customer, such as the customer'sunique identification card or other article, may be sensed. Of coursethese approaches are exemplary.

At the first location a one-time message or password may be presented tothe banking customer in step 512. The one-time message may be generatedthrough operation of one or more computers in response to theirprogramming. The one-time message may be communicated to a device suchas a self-service terminal or other resource that the customer is toutilize in carrying out the customer's transaction. The customer maythen input the one time message. The message is input by the customer tothe customer's mobile phone. The message included as part of the messagefrom the mobile device is communicated through operation of the mobiledevice to one or more computers in the banking system. In accordancewith their programming, one or more computers are operative to comparethe input message received from the mobile device to the one-timemessage generated by the system. In some exemplary embodiments thecomputer is also operative to analyze the source of the communication,such as the particular mobile device and/or the location of the mobiledevice, based on outputs which can be detected by the system. This mayinclude, for example, the system determining the phone number, networkaddress, or other identifying data associated with the mobile device toconfirm that it is the mobile device of the customer. Likewise, GPS orother tracking data may be used to determine the location of theparticular mobile device from which the input is received.

In response to one or more computers in the system determining that thedata input through the mobile device corresponds to the customer and theindicated output code, the at least one computer is operative to causeoutputs or operations at the particular banking resource that cause thecustomer's requested transaction to occur. At step 514 a verificationdetermination is made that the banking customer is at the firstlocation. The verification may include prompting the banking customer toenter the one-time message into a mobile device used by the bankingcustomer and analyzing related data. At step the first 516 transactionis processed.

In an alternative exemplary embodiment the banking computer system maybe used to generate personal messages to a banking customer. As abanking customer approaches the bank, welcome terminal, teller terminal,automated banking machine, or other resource location a banking customermay approach to conduct a banking transaction, the banking computersystem may be operative to identify the banking customer. The bankingcustomer may be identified by any of the methods described above, forexample image recognition by devices recording images of persons in thebanking facility. When the banking customer is identified throughoperation of one or more computers, data associated with that customermay be retrieved from one or more data stores. Data is used by thebanking computer system to cause to be produced, a personal greeting orother messages to the banking customer.

In some exemplary embodiments a database of personal information foreach banking customer may be in operative connection with the bankingcomputer system. Information, such as data corresponding to the historyof the transactions the banking customer conducted at the bank, may besaved in the database. Other information such as the height, weight,hair style, clothes worn, visual images, hobbies, political views,family history, jewelry, health history, previous banking responses,special interests the banking customer may have, and other personnelinformation may be saved in a database. The banking computer system maybe operative responsive to image data captured through one or morecameras to recognize the face, image, clothes, hair, jewelry, watch,shoes, responses and actions of a banking customer during visits to abanking facility and store data corresponding to this information in abanking database for future reference.

In some exemplary embodiments the current mood of a banking customer maybe operatively determined through operation of the banking computersystem. This may be done by analyzing the customer's actions, motions,body language, facial expression or other detectable parameters. If, forexample, it is detected that the customer is acting in ways that suggestthe customer is in a hurry, the computer may cause the banking resourcesuch as a self service terminal to provide outputs more rapidly, provideoutputs that are shorter, or eliminate promotional messages and takeother steps to cause the terminal to operate more promptly consistentwith the customer's determined status as in a hurry. Alternatively or inaddition, the customer might be presented with the option through anoutput device on one or more banking resources such as an automatedbanking machine or a self service terminal, to indicate that thecustomer is in a hurry to complete the transaction. When this occurs,one or more computers either within the terminal or outside the terminalmay operate in accordance with their programming to take steps such asthose previously discussed to cause the transaction to be completed morequickly. Of course these approaches are exemplary.

In some exemplary embodiments the greeting or response may be displayedon a screen of a display device of a welcome terminal or other device inthe form of text. Alternatively, the greeting or response message may bepresented on a screen in the form of a virtual person speaking themessage with a corresponding computer generated audio voice output. Insome exemplary embodiments the greeting or response may be presented bya device that projects a realistic three-dimensional image of a personspeaking the personal message or response message responsive tooperation of one or more computers. In some exemplary embodiments thedevice may be operative to project a holographic image of a person.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking computer system is operativeto determine, based on stored data, the age of the banking customer. Thecomputer operates to cause an image of a simulated person of similar ageto be displayed to the banking customer on an output device. In someexemplary embodiments the banking computer system may be operative tomake a determination of a kind of person likely to put the bankingcustomer most at ease, based on stored data. The at least one computeris operative responsive to this data to display the image of this typeof person to the banking customer for welcoming and responding to thebanking customer. Of course these approaches are exemplary.

In some exemplary embodiments the greeting or other messages output tothe banking customer may be tailored to changes in the appearance of thebanking customer. Records of past banking visits may be retrieved from adatabase. Past data on the clothes, wrist watches, shoes, hair styles,weight, jewelry, and/or other data of interest pertaining to the bankingcustomer may be retrieved. In some exemplary embodiments if the bankingcomputer system detects any change in this data, a personal greeting orresponse to the banking customer may be generated through one or morecomputers that compliments the banking customer on the change. In someexemplary embodiments the banking computer system may analyze image datato detect and identify family members or other people accompanying thebanking customer. The computer may be operative to generate personalgreetings and responses to the family members or other personsaccompanying customers. In some exemplary embodiments a greeting orresponse to the banking customer may be generated responsive to imagedata and/or other information about the people accompanying the bankingcustomer.

In some exemplary embodiments data on pets of the banking customer maybe obtained from one or more sources and stored in a data store inoperative connection with the system. In response to identifying theparticular customer, one or more computers may be operative to accessthe data corresponding to the particular customer's pet or pets. Thecomputer may then operate to include in the personal messages to thecustomer comments or messages about the particular customer's pet orpets.

In some exemplary embodiments one or more computers in the bankingsystem may operate to analyze the data concerning the customer and makea determination that the customer has certain characteristics whichcause that customer to be classified within a particular category orgroup. In some exemplary groups the classification may correspond tosocial status. In other exemplary embodiments, the classificationassociated with the customer may indicate that the customer is not anative English speaker. In other exemplary embodiments theclassification may indicate that the customer has a particulardisability and require outputs of a particular type from automatedbanking machines in order to utilize those machines. Based on thisdetermination as to the category in which the particular customer isclassified, the one or more computers is operative to provide outputs todevices through banking resources that correspond to the particularclassification.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking computer system is operativelyconnected to one or more databases with information on the currentweather data, recent news stories, and sporting event results, forexample. This information may be used by one or more computers togenerate a greeting or personal responses to a banking customer tailoredbased on such data. In some exemplary embodiments the banking computersystem is adapted to analyze the images of the banking customer and torecognize movements or other detectable indications that the bankingcustomer is in need of medical care. This might include analysis ofimage data that indicates that a customer is doubled over, is listing,is shaking, or has fallen, for example. The greeting message andresponses may be tailored to the medical care needs. If the bankingcustomer is in need of urgent medical care the banking computer systemmay operate to send one or more messages to bank personnel or to ahospital or an ambulance requesting assistance for the banking customer.

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of an exemplary method ofprocessing banking transactions 600. The method begins at step 602 byidentifying a banking customer. The banking customer may be recognizedwhen the customer arrives at the bank. This may be done throughoperation of one or more computers, based on received data in one ormore of the ways previously discussed. At step 604 the banking customeris presented an image through an output device. The image may be apersonalized welcoming image and may be presented in one or more of theways described above. At step 606 personal data about the bankingcustomer is retrieved from a database of personal information inconnection with the banking computer system. At step 608 the images,inputs or other available data or properties associated with the bankingcustomer, or the inputs the customer has recently provided to devicesconnected to the computers, is analyzed to determine the mood of thebanking customer. The data is analyzed through operation of one or morecomputers to determine one or more properties corresponding to aprobable mood of the banking customer. The computer then operatesresponsive to the resolved probable mood data to generate a greeting tothe banking customer which corresponds to the result of the analysis. Atstep 610 the banking customer is presented with the greeting. Thegreeting may be personalized to the banking customer and may be tailoredto the resolved data concerning the mood of the banking customer.

At step 612 one or more images of the banking customer may be analyzedto recognize a secondary characteristic. Secondary characteristics mayinclude for example, clothes, hair, jewelry, wrist watches, shoes, orother perceivable features associated with the banking customer. When asecondary characteristic is detected, the computer may operate toprovide messages to the banking customer tailored to the secondarycharacteristic. At step 614 data corresponding to current weather data,recent news stories, and sporting event results may be retrieved throughoperation of one or more computers. This data may be retrieved from oneor more data stores included in the banking system. Alternatively suchdata may be retrieved from an external source such as sources accessiblethrough the Internet or other operatively connected network. This datamay be used by one or more computers to generate messages to the bankingcustomer. At step 616 data corresponding to images, movement,properties, inputs, tone of voice, or other data associated with thebanking customer may be analyzed to make a determination as to when thebanking customer is in a hurry. In some cases the customer may providean input in response to an output message from the welcome terminal oran automated banking machine asking the customer to provide one or moreinputs to indicate the customer is in a hurry. When it is resolved orotherwise determined that the banking customer is in a hurry, thecomputer may operate to cause outputs, wait time, or informationprovided to a customer to be shorter, or the computer may operate toeliminate the display or provision of advertising, additional queries,or output of other information that might be provided when a customer isdetermined not to be in a hurry.

At step 620, images, movement, characteristics or properties associatedwith detectable aspects of the banking customer are analyzed todetermine a probable medical problem of the customer. If the bankingcustomer appears to have a medical problem, one or more computers areoperative to generate a request for medical assistance at step 626. Ifthe banking customer does not appear to have a medical problem, one ormore computers are operative to generate a response to a bankingcustomer as represented at step 622. At step 624 a database of personalinformation corresponding to the banking customer is updated responsiveto operation of one or more computers based on the responses and newpersonal characteristics of the customer.

In some exemplary embodiments a surface computer may be operative toprocess customer banking transactions. The surface computer may beoperatively connected to the network 102 of FIG. 1. For purposes of thisdisclosure, a surface computer will be deemed to be a computer includinga large, generally planar display surface. Through such a displaysurface multiple users may at the same time or during a singletransaction session or during overlapping transaction sessions, receivevisible outputs from the display surface and provide inputs to throughphysical contact with the display surface. In an exemplary embodimentthe surface may comprise a surface which provides a visible output whileat the same time enables the receipt of inputs from multiple usersthrough contact with the surface in disposed areas. In some embodimentsthe display surface may comprise a large single touch screen panel,while in other embodiments the display surface may include a pluralityof such panels arranged to have the surface thereof in generally asingle plane. FIG. 15 shows an example of a display surface. The areasbounded by broken lines in FIG. 15 represent user locations.

In some exemplary embodiments the surface computer operates inaccordance with its programming to allow a banking customer to displayindicia corresponding to banking services to be output through a displaysurface of the surface computer, and to allow a banking customer toorganize and compare the accessed banking services. A surface computermay be in operative connection with one or more cameras or other devicesthat operate to sense the then current position of the user's faceand/or eyes. This may be done through software which is operative toanalyze data corresponding to such features. In such exemplaryembodiments when a person selects banking data to be displayed with thesurface computer, the computer is operative to cause the display surfaceof the surface computer, based on where on the display surface thebanking customer appears to be looking, to display the data at thatlocation. The surface computer is operative to allow the bankingcustomer to compare and sort indicia corresponding to different featuresof the displayed banking services and to select one of the bankingservices to be performed through contact with the display surface. Thesurface computer may also be operative to enable a banking customer todisplay, sort and select indicia corresponding to icons or other indiciaoutput through the display surface to carry out transactions such as areview of banking account information and to open a banking account. Theexemplary surface computer interface is adapted to allow a bankingcustomer to touch, slide a finger and tap the surface computer with afinger when organizing, comparing and selecting data. The touch, slidingand tapping of the surface computer surface is operative to cause theopening, closing, rotating, flipping, stretching and shrinking ofindicia and data displayed on the display surface responsive tooperation of the computer.

In some exemplary embodiments the surface computer may have the displaysurface included as all or part of a desktop or a wall surface. In someexemplary embodiments the surface computer may receive inputs thatenable the computer to identify the banking customer and operate toautomatically access information stored in a banking database aboutbanking transactions that the identified customer commonly performs. Forexample in some embodiments, images of the banking customer may becaptured by cameras located within the display surface of the surfacecomputer. The banking customer images may be analyzed by a computerrunning facial recognition software. The facial recognition softwareoperating in the surface computer may operate to identify the customerand provide outputs or other information in response thereto. In otherembodiments a surface computer may receive inputs through the displaysurface such as biometric inputs. Such inputs may include, for example,a fingerprint scan or hand scan. The data which is input may be used toidentify the customer. Of course these approaches are exemplary, and inother embodiments other approaches may be used.

In some exemplary embodiments the banking customer may be recognized bysensors that capture data that enables the computer to recognize that amobile device placed on or adjacent to the display surface of thesurface computer belongs to a particular banking customer. This may bedone through sensors that are operative to capture image data or othervisible data of the mobile device that identifies it as belonging to aparticular user. Alternatively or in addition, the display surface mayinclude other sensors which are operative to sense other characteristicsof items. This may include cards, passbooks, checks, tokens, fobs or thelike. Further, in still other embodiments, the surface computer may bein operative connection with an input device such as a wireless inputdevice. The wireless input device may receive inputs from a mobiledevice or other article carried by the user that provides data that canbe used by one or more computers to identify the user. Of course theseapproaches are exemplary.

The surface computer may be adapted to recognize the cell phone, laptopcomputer or personal digital assistant of a banking customer. Thesurface computer may include an interface that enables the bankingcustomer to transfer data from a mobile device to the surface computer,and the surface computer may be adapted to allow the banking customer totransfer data from the surface computer to a mobile device. This may bedone, for example in some embodiments, by an optical interface thatenables sensors included in the display surface to read data output on ascreen associated with a mobile device. Alternatively the data interfacemay include transmission of data through optical signals that areexchanged between the mobile device and the display surface or otherinterface that is in operative connection with the surface computer.

In some exemplary embodiments the surface computer may be operative toallow data to be transferred to the mobile device by providing aninterface to allow a banking customer to touch an icon on the displaysurface and drag the icon to a zone adjacent to or around the mobiledata device while the mobile device is on or touching the displaysurface. The surface computer may operate to allow a banking customer toaccess existing banking account information of the banking customer andto display the account information on the display surface. In someexemplary embodiments the surface computer is operative to automaticallyretrieve banking customer data from a portable mobile device the bankingcustomer may have placed near the surface computer. Of course theseapproaches are exemplary.

FIG. 7 schematically represents an exemplary method of processingbanking transactions using a surface computer 700. The method begins atstep 702 by identifying a banking customer. The banking customer may berecognized through image data captured by devices within the displaysurface of the surface computer or by image capture devices operativelyconnected thereto. Such customer recognition may be accomplished bycapturing images of the customer's face, thumbprint, or other biometricfeatures. One or more computers including the surface computer mayoperate to identify the user based on one or more biometric features.Alternatively, a user may be identified based on an article or signalsoutput by or sensed from the article, such as the user's mobile device,token, passbook, check, checkbook, card or other item that is uniquelyassociated with the customer.

The computer receives data corresponding to the one or more inputs andoperates to determine if the received inputs have a correspondingrelationship to data stored in at least one data store in operativeconnection with the computer. In response to determining that thereceived data corresponds to stored data for a particular customer, thecomputer operates to determine the customer's identity and to resolvethat the identified customer is to be authorized to conduct transactionsthrough the surface computer. At step 704 access is provided that allowsbanking data to be accessed by the identified customer through thesurface computer. The computer operates responsive to the one or moreinputs received through the display surface to cause data to beretrieved which corresponds to that requested by the computer's inputs.At step 706 the data that is received responsive to the inputs isdisplayed on the surface computer. At step 708 an interface is providedthrough the display surface of the computer to allow a banking customerto organize and compare indicia corresponding to the accessed bankingservices. At step 710 an interface is provided through the surfacecomputer to allow a banking customer to provide one or more inputsoperative to select a banking transaction. At step 712 an interface isprovided through the surface computer to allow a banking customer toopen a bank account. An interface to allow the performance of a bankingtransaction is provided at step 714. At step 716 an interface throughthe surface computer is provided to allow the transfer data from amobile device to a banking computer system. At step 718 an interface isprovided through the surface computer to transfer data from a bankingcomputer system to the surface computer may be provided. Thus as can beappreciated, the surface computer may provide various interfaces throughthe display surface that enable the provision of outputs and the receiptof inputs that cause selected transactions for users to be carried out.Of course these approaches are exemplary.

In some exemplary embodiments a surface computer may be combined withone or more transaction function devices to provide an automated bankingmachine with transaction capabilities that users may perform on a selfservice basis. This may include for example, providing devices that canaccept bills and/or checks in an area within or below the displaysurface of the surface computer. For example in some embodiments adevice capable of receiving bills and/or checks through an opening, maybe positioned with the opening extending in a wall or other surfacevertically below a portion of the display surface. Such a device may beoperative to receive bills and checks from a user in some embodiments.Further in other embodiments such a device may be operative to dispensecurrency bills to users. Further in some embodiments several suchdevices may be positioned in laterally spaced relation below a generallycontinuous display surface which extends vertically and horizontally ina plane on or in connection with a wall.

In some exemplary embodiments transactions may be conducted using theprinciples previously described. A user may move adjacent to the displaysurface of the surface computer in general alignment with the opening ofsuch a device. Such activity may be facilitated by including an outputthrough the display surface in such an area. Further as discussedpreviously, some embodiments may provide an output including a customername or identifier based on a particular area of the display surfacebeing determined by a computer as the transaction resource a customer isto use to conduct a transaction. In response to the output, the customermay approach the surface computer and provide the inputs required toaccomplish a transaction. This may include for example, the customerproviding a card input, biometric input, numerical input, password, PINor code input, mobile device input, or other input of the typespreviously described which can be used to identify the particularcustomer and/or that the particular customer is at that location of thesurface computer. In some arrangements, the surface computer may providevirtual buttons, a keypad, a keyboard, a dial or other virtual componentoutput through the display surface, which the user can contact, touchand/or manipulate in order to provide identifying or other inputs. Inother embodiments the display surface may include a card reader openingfor a card reader. The card reader may be mounted behind the opening. Inother embodiments a card reader can be mounted adjacent to the displaysurface. In other embodiments a contactless card reader may be mountedin or behind the display surface. Of course these approaches areexemplary.

Responsive to having determined that the particular customer is at thelocation at the display surface, one or more computers may be operativeto cause the surface computer to provide outputs appropriate for theparticular user. This may include a predetermined transaction that thecustomer has requested through a welcome terminal or mobile device aspreviously described. Alternatively, the customer may be presented withtransaction options through indicia that are output through the displaysurface. The customer may provide inputs corresponding to data ortransaction selections which are operative to indicate the type,characteristics or properties of the transaction which the user wishesto conduct. The inputs from the user are received through the displaysurface and used through operation of the surface computer or otherconnected computers to carry out the customer's requested transactions.

For example, if the customer has requested to receive cash, the devicelocated adjacent to the display surface of the surface computer in thearea where the customer is standing may operate to cause the cash to bedispensed from the opening. The display surface may operate to indicateto the customer that the cash should be retrieved from the opening belowthe display surface. This can be done through text outputs, arrows,graphics, or other outputs presented through the display surface.Likewise if the customer is providing a deposit transaction, thecustomer may be prompted through graphics or other outputs on thedisplay surface to input bills, checks or other accepted items into theopening below the display surface. The items may be received through theopening and processed through operation of the device in a manner likethat discussed in the incorporated disclosures.

In exemplary embodiments the customer may also receive other prompts oroutputs through the display surface. For example, the surface computermay output a query to the customer as to whether the customer wishes toreceive a receipt. In response to an input to the display surfaceindicating that a receipt is requested, the device positioned in thearea where the customer is located may operate to deliver a receiptthrough the opening. Of course as can be appreciated, other items can beexchanged with the customer and other transactions conducted.

As can be appreciated, in exemplary embodiments the display surface ofthe surface computer may comprise a relatively large surface withmultiple spaced locations at which transaction sessions for multipletransactions by different users can be concurrently conducted. Customersmay be selectively directed to such locations in the ways previouslydiscussed, so as to facilitate the carrying out of transactions.Further, transactions that do not require the exchange of tangiblematerials may be conducted in areas intermediate of the locations andopenings in which transaction function devices are located. Further itshould be understood that various types of transaction function devicesmay be located below, above, beside, or even within display surfaces.This may include transactions that are carried out by transporting itemsto and from the user through use of a VAT carrier. This provides thecapability for having numerous different configurations and transactiontypes. Of course these approaches are exemplary, and in otherembodiments other approaches may be used.

In some exemplary embodiments it may be desirable to enhance securitywithin a banking facility by tailoring the security to the locations ofbanking employees and customers within the banking facility. In someexemplary embodiments one or more detection devices operative to detecta person entering the banking facility may be used to identifyindividuals entering or within a banking facility. The person may bedetected and/or identified by any previously discussed detection method.In some exemplary embodiments the banking customer or employee may beautomatically identified or may be identified when the person presents abanking card to a card reading device. Alternatively a user may beidentified by a token, mobile device, fob, passbook or other articlethat can be read through operation of a reading device or that emitssignals that can be used to identify the particular device and/orcustomer associated therewith. A security level may be assigned to thebanking customer or employee detected entering the bank, throughoperation of the banking computer system. It should be understood thatfor purposes of this disclosure a security level corresponds toauthorization and ability to access or operate selected data, functions,devices, areas or other things in accordance with rules or limits thatare stored or resolved by one or more computers associated with thefacility.

In an exemplary embodiment a banking customer or employee may only haveaccess to the resources that correspond to the security level assignedto them. A banking computer system may be operative to activatedifferent banking resources corresponding to each identified bankingcustomer or employee when the banking customer or employee approachesthe resource. Some exemplary banking resources that may be activatedaccording to the assigned security level of the banking customer oremployee are computer terminals, computer databases, self serviceterminal, safety deposit boxes, access control devices, drawers, officespace, storage areas, meeting rooms, automatic banking machines, tellerareas, safety deposit box areas, and vault areas. In some exemplaryembodiments one or more computers operate so that only banking resourcesadjacent to the determined current location of the person or within asmall immediately adjacent zone around the person are activated ifauthorized according to the security level of the person.

The security level may correspond for example, to whether the person isa high value customer, standard customer, new customer, managementbanking employee, supervisory bank employee, teller, other bankemployee, or in another group of people. The level of security of highvalue customers may provide access to more resources, areas or data thanthe security level for regular customers; the security level for regularcustomers may provide greater access than the security level for newcustomers; the security level for managers may provide greater accessthan the security level for supervisory bank employees; the securitylevel for supervisory bank employees may provide greater access than thesecurity level for tellers; and the level of security for tellers mayprovide greater access than the security level for other bank employees.It should be understood that the category of a particular individualbased on the individual's identity as resolved by one or more computersin connection with the system, may provide such individuals withdifferent types of access to resources, devices, areas, data, or othercapabilities of the system. It should be understood that for differentcategories, the nature of the types of activities that can be performed,as well as the extent of authorization to utilize particular aspects ofthe available capabilities, may be different. Further for purposes ofthis disclosure, greater access may not necessarily requirequantitatively greater capabilities, but only access to differentcapabilities of the facility, system or data.

In some exemplary embodiments a banking facility may be segmented into aplurality of security zones. Zones may correspond to different areaswithin the banking facility or to different banking resources. Thesecurity zones may include office spaces, teller areas, storage areas,safety deposit box areas, vault areas and public areas. Bankingresources that may correspond with a zone include computer terminals,computer databases, account information, safety deposit boxes, drawersand automatic banking machines or other items. Each computer databasemay include a plurality of sub-databases each with its own securitylevel.

In some exemplary embodiments a bank employee with a higher securitylevel may override a lower security setting on a banking resource thatthe bank employee needs to access if a person with a lower correspondingsecurity level is in the same security zone.

FIG. 8 schematically represents an exemplary method of improving bankingsecurity using security levels associated with a person 800. The methodbegins at step 802 by detecting a person entering a bank. When a personis detected, that person may also be identified through operation of oneor more computers. At step 804 a security level is assigned to theperson detected through operation of such computers. Different bankingresources corresponding to the level of security assigned to the persondetected are activated in step 806. The banking resources activatedresponsive to such computers may be only the resources right in front ofthe person, adjacent to the person or within a limited range of theperson to which the person's security level authorizes the person tohave access. Of course these approaches are exemplary.

FIG. 9 schematically represents an exemplary method of improving bankingsecurity using security zones 900. The method begins at step 902 bydividing the banking facility through operation of a computer into aplurality of security zones. Zones may correspond to different areaswithin the banking facility or to different banking resources. In step904 a security level is assigned to an identified person. In step 906banking resources within a security zone are activated corresponding tothe level of security of a person within that zone. Through operation ofone or more computers, the identified individual may operate to receiveaccess to one or more resources, areas, capabilities, data, functions,or other aspects that may be accessed within the banking facility.Computers may operate to minimize the risk of unauthorized activitiesthrough the categorization and security levels that are applied toparticular individuals. As can be appreciated, in the exemplaryembodiments the capabilities of identifying individuals and of grantingthem different privileges and access to various resources andcapabilities enables the more secure conduct of transactions, as well asthe preservation of a more secure environment within the bankingfacility. Of course it should be understood that these approaches areexemplary, and in other embodiments other approaches may be used.

Thus the new apparatus, systems and methods of the exemplary embodimentsdescribed may achieve one or more of the above stated objectives,eliminate difficulties encountered in the use of prior devices andsystems, solve problems and attain desirable results as describedherein.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity,clarity and understanding, however no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom because such terms are for descriptive purposes andare intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the descriptions andillustrations given herein are by way of examples and the invention isnot limited to the details shown and described.

In the following claims any feature described as a means for performinga function shall be construed as encompassing any means known to thoseskilled in the art as being capable of performing the recited function,and shall not be limited to the features shown in the foregoingdescription or mere equivalents thereof.

Having described the features, discoveries and principles of theinvention, the manner in which it is constructed and operated, and theadvantages and useful results attained; the new and useful structures,devices, elements, arrangements, parts, combinations, systems,equipment, operations, methods and relationships are set forth in theappended claims.

1. Apparatus comprising: an automated banking machine, wherein themachine includes at least one reader, wherein the at least one reader isoperable to read user data usable to identify at least one of afinancial account and a user of the machine, wherein the machineincludes a touch screen display, wherein the touch screen displayincludes a display surface, wherein the touch screen display includes aplanar interface surface, wherein the planar interface surface includesat least two disposed user locations,  wherein each user location isconfigured to concurrently provide visual outputs through the planarinterface surface and receive user inputs through user contact with theplanar interface surface at each respective user location from at leasttwo respective users, at least one computer associated with the machine,wherein the at least one computer is operable to provide to the user,visual outputs through the touch screen display, wherein the outputsinclude screen icons concurrently displayed on the display surface,wherein the screen icons include banking function selection icons, wherein each respective icon is movable on the display surface by theuser moving a finger while the finger contacts the respective icondisplayed on the display surface, wherein the at least one computer isoperable to receive banking function selection input from the userthrough user finger movement of a respective icon.
 2. The apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein the display surface includes differentsurface areas, wherein the different surface areas include an icon inputarea, wherein the at least one computer is operable to receive selectioninput from the user through finger dragging of a respective bankingfunction selection icon toward and into the icon input area. 3.Apparatus comprising: an automated banking machine, wherein the machineincludes at least one user input device, wherein the at least one userinput device is operative to receive input from a user of the machine,wherein the at least one user input device includes at least one displayand at least one reader, wherein the at least one display includes atouch screen,  wherein the touch screen includes a planar interfacesurface,  wherein the planar interface surface includes at least twodisposed user locations,  wherein each user location is configured toconcurrently provide visual outputs through the planar interface surfaceand receive user inputs through user contact with the planar interfacesurface at each respective user location from at least two respectiveusers, wherein the at least one reader is operable to read user datausable to identify at least one of the user and a financial account, atleast one computer associated with the machine, wherein the at least onecomputer is in operative connection with the at least one user inputdevice, wherein the at least one computer is configured to cause a firstplurality of visually different icons to be concurrently displayed onthe touch screen, wherein each respective icon represents a differentuser input that is selectable by the user, wherein each respective iconcan be individually moved on the touch screen by the user placing afinger in contact with the touch screen at a position overlying therespective icon and then sliding the finger while the finger remains incontact with the touch screen,  wherein movement of the respective iconon the touch screen causes the at least one computer to receive therespective user input represented by the respective icon.
 4. Theapparatus according to claim 3 wherein the first plurality of visuallydifferent icons include transaction icons representative of differenttransactions available to the user, wherein a first transaction isselectable by the user through movement of the transaction icon that isrepresentative of the first transaction.
 5. The apparatus according toclaim 3 wherein the first plurality of visually different icons includeservice icons representative of different banking services available tothe user, wherein a first banking service is selectable by the userthrough movement of the service icon that is representative of the firstbanking service.
 6. Apparatus comprising: an automated banking machine,wherein the machine includes at least one reader, wherein the at leastone reader is operable to read user data usable to identify at least oneof a financial account and a user of the machine, wherein the machineincludes a touch screen display, wherein the touch screen displayincludes a display surface, at least one computer associated with themachine, wherein the at least one computer is operable to cause abanking service selection screen to be displayed through the touchscreen display, wherein the banking service selection screen includesvisually different icons concurrently displayed on the display surface,wherein the icons respectively represent different types of bankingservices that are available to the user, wherein the icons comprise atleast a first icon and a second icon,  wherein the first icon representsa first type of banking service available to the user,  wherein thesecond icon represents a second type of banking service available to theuser,  wherein the second type of banking service differs from the firsttype of banking service, wherein each respective icon is movable on thedisplay surface by the user moving a finger while the finger contactsthe respective icon displayed on the display surface,  wherein the firsttype of banking service is selectable by the user through user fingermovement of the first icon,  wherein the second type of banking serviceis selectable by the user through user finger movement of the secondicon, wherein the at least one computer is operable responsive at leastin part to user finger movement of the first icon, to cause a firstdisplay screen unique to the first type of banking service to bedisplayed through the touch screen display, wherein the at least onecomputer is operable responsive at least in part to user finger movementof the second icon, to cause a second display screen unique to thesecond type of banking service to be displayed through the touch screendisplay, wherein the second display screen differs from the firstdisplay screen.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the firsttype of banking service includes opening an account, wherein the atleast one computer is operable responsive at least in part to userfinger movement of the first icon, to cause a display screen that isunique to opening an account to be displayed through the touch screendisplay.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the at least onecomputer is operable responsive at least in part to user finger movementof the first icon, to cause a display screen that requests user inputcorresponding to opening an account to be displayed through the touchscreen display.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein theaccount comprises a line of credit account, wherein the at least onecomputer is operable responsive at least in part to user finger movementof the first icon, to cause a display screen that is unique to opening aline of credit account to be displayed through the touch screen display.10. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the first type of bankingservice includes one of cashing a check, depositing funds into anexisting account, withdrawing cash from an existing account, obtaining acertificate of deposit, opening a new account, and accessing a safetydeposit box.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein theautomated banking machine includes a cash dispenser, and wherein the atleast one computer is operable to cause the machine to carry out arequested cash withdrawal transaction on a financial account associatedwith user data read by the at least one reader.
 12. The apparatusaccording to claim 6 wherein the display surface includes differentsurface areas, wherein the different surface areas include an icon inputarea, wherein the at least one computer is operable to receive selectioninput from the user through finger dragging of a respective icon intothe icon input area.
 13. Apparatus comprising: an automated bankingmachine, wherein the machine includes at least one reader, wherein theat least one reader is operable to read user data usable to identify atleast one of a financial account and a user of the machine, wherein themachine includes a touch screen display, wherein the touch screendisplay includes a display surface, at least one computer associatedwith the machine, wherein the at least one computer is operable to causemachine operation during a transaction involving a financial accountthat corresponds to user data read by the at least one reader, whereinthe at least one computer is operable to cause a transaction selectionscreen to be displayed through the touch screen display, wherein thetransaction selection screen includes visually different iconsconcurrently displayed on the display surface, wherein the iconsrespectively represent different types of banking transactions that areavailable to the user, wherein the icons comprise at least a first iconand a second icon,  wherein the first icon represents a first type ofbanking transaction available to the user,  wherein the second iconrepresents a second type of banking transaction available to the user, wherein the second type of banking transaction differs from the firsttype of banking transaction, wherein each respective icon is movable onthe display surface by the user moving a finger while the fingercontacts the respective icon displayed on the display surface,  whereinthe first type of banking transaction is selectable by the user throughuser finger movement of the first icon,  wherein the second type ofbanking transaction is selectable by the user through user fingermovement of the second icon, wherein the at least one computer isoperable responsive at least in part to user finger movement of thefirst icon, to cause a first display screen unique to the first type ofbanking transaction to be displayed through the touch screen display,wherein the at least one computer is operable responsive at least inpart to user finger movement of the second icon, to cause a seconddisplay screen unique to the second type of banking transaction to bedisplayed through the touch screen display, wherein the second displayscreen differs from the first display screen.
 14. The apparatusaccording to claim 13 wherein the first type of banking transactioncomprises a cash withdrawal transaction, wherein the at least onecomputer is operable responsive at least in part to user finger movementof the first icon, to cause a display screen that is unique to a cashwithdrawal transaction to be displayed through the touch screen display.15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the automated bankingmachine includes a cash dispenser.
 16. The apparatus according to claim15 wherein the at least one computer is operable to cause the machine tocarry out a requested cash withdrawal transaction on a financial accountassociated with user data read by the at least one reader.
 17. Theapparatus according to claim 15 wherein the at least one computer isoperable responsive at least in part to user finger movement of thefirst icon, to cause the touch screen display to request user inputindicating an amount of cash.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 13wherein the first type of banking transaction comprises a deposittransaction, wherein the at least one computer is operable responsive atleast in part to user finger movement of the first icon, to cause adisplay screen that corresponds to a deposit transaction to be displayedthrough the touch screen display.
 19. The apparatus according to claim13 wherein the display surface includes different surface areas, whereinthe different surface areas include an icon input area, wherein the atleast one computer is operable to receive selection input from the userthrough finger dragging of a respective icon into the icon input area.20. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the different types ofbanking transactions available to the user are based at least in part onuser data read by the at least one reader corresponding to data in anavailable transaction data store.